


Hamilton High School AU

by Hamiltalian



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Multi, Other, i'll add tags as i figure them out, i'm not good at describing, it starts sweet, then it really goes down
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-19 18:09:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 102
Words: 237,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14878716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hamiltalian/pseuds/Hamiltalian
Summary: Alexander Hamilton is new to yet another school after getting kicked out of his old one for fighting. Already, he picks a fight, but this guy doesn't budge. He even stops him from fighting later. What's this kid's problem? Alexander tries to figure it out, accidentally catching feelings on the way. Now, one's problems becomes the other's and vice versa, but there's no way that either of them are going to let go. (Important note- Based off of an RP. It's better that this sounds, I promise. Because of this, the class schedules are inconsistent and there are only two names teachers for the most part. Please don't point this out in the comments.)





	1. Chapter 1

John didn’t hear as the new kid approached him, too distracted by the sound of his spray cans and his painting. He didn’t really care about getting caught, though. He had a beanie on and a bandana tied over his nose and mouth. Besides, almost none of the students really cared. They actually enjoyed seeing his work. The teachers, he could simply outrun and some of them didn’t even care. So, he painted away.

Alexander heard the hissing sound of spray paint and walked over to it’s source, too curious to ignore it. “You know that’s illegal, right?”

John shrugged, not even bothering to turn around. “Yeah, but it’s art. And I’m getting paid. All together, I don’t really care. Besides, everyone around here likes my work. Nobody ever cleans it off or anything and it’s the only color around here.”

Alexander scoffed. To him, John was just another stupid tagger. Not that he really cared. He was just itching for a reason to fight. “You call that art? It’s just a bunch of paint splotches in a pattern.” Alexander was beyond wrong and he knew it. The flower mural was actually pretty well done. “You’re no Banksy, you know. You’re just a stupid kid trying to look cool.”

John rolled his eyes and refused to let the other get a rise out of him, as irritating as he was. “And you’re just trying to look for a fight. You’re looking in the wrong place, kid. Just go away.”

“So I can leave you to trash the school in peace? Yeah, right.” Alexander was starting to get frustrated. Why wasn’t the other getting angry? Making people angry… Well, it was what he was good at. He could tell this guy was getting frustrated. Why wasn’t he fighting yet?

John tutted. “You wouldn’t know art if Picasso came back from the dead and smacked you across the face with it.”

Alexander rolled his eyes and snatched up a paint can. “Yeah, but I bet I can make something as good as you. Let me fix your art for you.” He started spraying lines all across the wall in black, something that wasn’t hard to see over the bright oceanic scene, before adding obscene words wherever he could.

For a good minute, John watched and gawked in shock as Alexander ruined his painting. When he finally regained his composure, he shoved Alexander to the ground and snatched away the spray paint, putting away all but one can, the white. “You idiot! I’ve been working on that one all week!”

Alexander jumped to his feet, believing that this meant that he was finally going to get his fight.. Only to find John walking away as soon as he finished covering what Alexander had done. “Hey, wait!” He began running after him and was shoved back down as he reached him.

“Just leave me alone. You’ve done enough damage already.” John walked off, pulling off his bandana as he stormed inside.

Alexander wasn’t able to see much of his face, but there was one trait that he wouldn’t forget: freckles.

John saw the kid who ruined his art during class, but didn’t confront him. Nobody was supposed to know who he was and he wanted to keep it that way. He decided to ignore him and hoped that they’d keep out of each other’s paths.

For Alexander, things weren’t so simple. After all, he was the new kid and he was small. He was an easy target and he knew it, so he wasn’t too surprised when a few kids started snickering as he introduced himself, something no doubt caused by the moron with the shit eating grin in the middle of them all. Alexander glared at him and finished his introduction, only because the teacher made him, then went back to his desk, noticing a badge on the desk of the idiot who was making fun of him. 

Student council? Why would anyone let that jerk into a thing like that? He shrugged it off and walked to his desk, not noticing the kid in the back glancing up at him almost threateningly. Class was boring, especially thanks to how the teacher droned on and on, almost like he was an old recording. Most people would’ve likened the droning to a computer, but Alexander thought that was too lenient. 

When it finally ended, he got up and gladly walked out, not even noticing how he knocked down that stupid Student Council badge until he stepped on it, the badge breaking into plastic shards beneath his feet. “Oops…”

The other wasn’t nearly so casual about it. The second that Alexander stepped into the hallway, he was pulled back by his shirt collar and his backpack was pulled off, tossed to the floor to move it out of the way. “You think that was funny?”

“What did I do? It was an accident. Accidents do happen, you know? Or have you never looked in a mirror?”

At that, a crowd began to form, expecting for a show to start. “I’d ask you for one, but I’m afraid you wouldn’t be able to reach high enough to give it to me.”

Alexander felt his face go red. If there was anything he hated more than being called annoying, it was being called short. “You could always bend over and take it from my hands. If you need a demonstration as to how that works, I can always ask your mom to help.”

The crowd began to snicker at that. “Say it to my face, you damn leprechaun.”

“Having trouble with those instructions? Get on your knees and I will. I bet you’re familiar with that.”

The crowd would’ve began rioting with laughter had they not gone silent, watching as the stupid bully clenched his fist and threw a punch.

Alexander closed his eyes and waited for the hit to land… But it never came. When he opened his eyes, he saw the true source of the crowd’s silence. Some kid had caught the punch mere inches from Alexander’s face.

The curly haired kid pushed the bully away from Alexander. “Pick on someone your own size, Thomas. You’re embarrassing yourself,” he told him, rolling his eyes.

Thomas tutted and stepped towards the new… familiar face. “And if I don’t?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’ve already broken your nose. Would you like to add a concussion to the list of injuries I’ve given you?” Alexander almost laughed at that. The kid was at least six inches shorter than Thomas.

“Don’t embarrass yourself, babe. Everybody knows you haven’t thrown a punch since last year. No doubt you’ve lost your touch by now.”

“Believe what you want. I don’t have time for you, anyways.” He picked up Alexander’s bag and gave it back to him, then started walking away. Before he got far, Thomas grabbed his shoulder.

“You and I are not done yet.”

The stranger rolled his eyes and grabbed his hand, turning around and twisting it until he had to give in, letting go of his hand. “Now we’re done.” He turned and left.

Alexander walked to class, bewildered by what had just happened. That kid wasn’t much taller than Alexander, maybe only three inches, but Thomas towered over Alexander by at least nine. That tiny kid just came in and subdued him like it was nothing. And he ruined everything. Alexander tutted and went to his next class, which he had with his brother, but he didn’t pay him much attention. He was so annoying sometimes.

He didn’t know what to expect at lunch, but, whatever it was, what did happen couldn’t have been any more different. What did happen would change everything about his life in America so far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help out a broke college student, you can ask for commissions at slashgashotaku@gmail.com. I also do free requests.


	2. Chapter 2

Alexander sat down beside his brother and his friend, only because he didn’t have anywhere else to sit. Too many freshman crowding the place.

“Hi. I’m Hercules. I’ve heard a lot about you from Laf.” Alexander may have been Lafayette’s adopted brother for about four or five years by then, but he was determined to keep himself hidden from Lafayette’s friends and had done so successfully.

Alexander wasn’t interested in meeting his friends then and he wasn’t interested in meeting his friends now. “I’m Alexander. Don’t expect me to be like him,” he warned, pointing at Lafayette. “Because I’m not. He can be him, but I’m nothing like him.” He wasn’t exactly Lafayette’s biggest fan.

His brother sighed. “Must you be so rude? You just met him.”

“And I said hi. I don’t know what you expected. I told George and Martha that I was only going to be here for so long, anyways. You know how it is.”

Lafayette frowned. He knew exactly what Alexander meant. His less than subtle anger issues made it difficult for him to be allowed to attend a school for very long. “It’ll be different. I can feel it.”

Alexander sighed and rolled his eyes. He didn’t hate his brother. He just hated when people compared them, especially because they weren’t even related by blood. “Whatever.”

A few shouts attracted all of their attention and they turned just in time to see the kid from the fight and Thomas in a shouting match, though it was Thomas who was doing all of the shouting. The other kid, just like during the fight, was calm, an almost uncaring expression on his face as he and Thomas argued in front of the entire cafeteria. Before long, Thomas drew his fist back to hit and, once again, the smaller boy caught it and pushed him back before leaving the cafeteria.

Naturally, Alexander got up and followed, running out of the cafeteria and finding the boy walking down the hall, turning a corner. He followed him until he saw him sitting outside of the locker rooms, drawing in a sketchbook. Alexander stood beside him, trying to figure out what to say. “Uhh… What you did with Jefferson was pretty cool.”

“He’s a jerk. Ignore him.”

Alexander nodded slowly and squatted down, looking at him. “You look  familiar… Do I know you from another school or something?”

The other simply pulled his hood over his head and it finally struck Alexander.

“I know you! You’re the kid from this morning! From outside!”

He tutted. “Yeah. The one whose art you ruined.”

Alexander rolled his eyes. “You’re going to get pissy about that and then break up my fight with Jefferson?”

The other scoffed. “It wouldn’t have been much of a fight. I’m basically the only person I know who can take him down.”

Alexander may have seen him in action, but it was still hard to believe. The kid was still small. He sat down beside him. “What are you drawing?”

“None of your business.”

“I just want to see.” He looked over his arm and saw the drawing of an candle on an old lamp with the hand holding it and another held over the flame. “Hey, that looks pretty cool. Maybe you can help me draw like that.”

“I thought I was a trash artist who just wanted to look cool.”

“I was just trying to pick a fight. Now I’m being nice. I’m Alex.”

“I’m not talking to someone who trashes art.”

Alexander groaned. Did this guy have to be so difficult? Actually, he kind of did to even attract Alexander’s attention. He was stubborn enough not to fight him, after all. “Fair enough. I’ll just sit here.” He sat in place, humming to himself and occasionally clearing his throat, trying his best to irritate the other.

After a few minutes, it seemed to work. The other sighed and reached into his backpack, pulling out a few sheets of blank paper. “Here. I’ll teach you, if you really want.”

“Thank you.” Alexander smiled cheekily.

“Yeah, yeah.” He rolled his eyes and gave the other a different colored pencils, putting away his prismacolors. “Those are easier to use, but they’re so much more expensive. I don’t want to waste them.”

And by that, of course, he meant that he didn’t want to waste them on Alexander, making him roll his eyes. “Whatever.”

The artist started showing Alexander how to draw another simple candle, the flame being the more difficult part for him. As much help as he was getting, it still didn’t look nearly as good as the realistic flame that the other was drawing.

“Hey, I’m not half bad.” He smiled, interrupted by a laugh.

“Aw, look. Johnny’s found himself another little boyfriend.”

The artist, John, as Jefferson revealed, snapped his colored pencil in his hand.

“What’s the matter? Upset that I found out about him?” He reached down and grabbed Alexander’s collar, pulling him to his feet. No, pulling him off of his feet. “What does he see in you, anyways? You’re just a little hothead.”

Alexander struggled in his grip. “What are you talking about, you loser?”

Thomas growled and threw Alexander to the ground, pulling his leg back to kick him. Before he could, John stepped between them, shoving Thomas down while he was off balance. It worked, but boy did it make him mad. Thomas got up in seconds and ran back towards John, grabbing his arms to hold him in place before kneeing him in the gut.

John cried out in pain, but kept himself on his feet.

Alexander got up and ran towards the cafeteria and got the only person who he knew could help, Lafayette. “Laf! Thomas is beating someone up. He needs help.”

Lafayette got up and followed Alexander to the gym hallway. All that mattered was that Thomas needed to be stopped.

When they got there, John was starting to lose against Thomas since he had him on the ground, kicking his sides as John tried to get back up.

Lafayette gasped and ran towards Thomas, slamming himself into him and shoving him to the ground, falling with him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t nearly as strong as Thomas, who shoved him off in seconds and stood up, getting ready to attack before Alexander jumped onto his back. He held on as best as he could until Thomas began moving backwards to slam into the wall. John pulled Alexander off to keep him out of the way before he began landing punch after punch on Thomas, moving way too fast for Alexander to keep track of. This kid really was stronger than he looked.

Still, he stopped when Thomas was on the ground, not one to fight while his opponent was down. Thomas stumbled to his feet and glared at John, spitting a mix of spit and blood at his feet. “Coward.” He stumbled away, John glaring at him as he left.

“I hate that guy…”

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch and the beginning of last period. For Alexander, that was gym. And it was the same for John, he realized as he walked into the locker room with him.

“Uh.. Thank you for helping me out.”

“Don’t mention it. That guy is an idiot.”

Alexander nodded and got changed, going out to gym class with him and playing the stupid game that they had to do. After class, he got changed and walked home since Lafayette was staying a bit longer and couldn’t drive him home. He went up to his room and locked himself away, only coming downstairs when he heard the door open. It must’ve been Lafayette. He had to thank him for what he did.

“Hey, Laf, I-” He stopped at the bottom of the stairs as he noticed who it really was. “John?”


	3. Chapter 3

John stared back at Alexander curiously. “You?”

“I could ask the same thing.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I come here almost everyday. I’ve never seen you around here before.” He shrugged, taking off his shoes.

“You’re Laf’s friend?” That explained why he attacked Thomas so harshly. Lafayette was such a gentle guy, unless it came to his friends and family.

“Ever since we met, yeah.” He nodded, walking right past Alexander.

There was that crappy attitude again. Alexander tutted and turned to look at him, freezing when he saw blood soaking his shirt. “Hey, you’re hurt.” He poked the spot, making John hiss with pain.

“What the hell? That wasn’t there earlier.” He looked at his side, picking up his shirt to see the spot. There was a cut at the bottom of his ribs, bleeding and soaking his shirt.

“Damn it. That must’ve been from when Thomas kicked me. I probably opened it walking here.”  

Alexander led him to the bathroom to help him, sitting him down on the counter. “Take off your shirt so I can wrap it.”

John shook his head. “Not happening. I can fix it myself.”

Alexander groaned. “Let me help.”

“I’m not taking my shirt off.”

“Fine. Keep it on, just keep it where I can help you.”

John nodded and kept his shirt pulled up to the bottom of his ribs, giving Alexander just enough room to clean and patch his cut. What a perfect time for Laf to get home and see.

“Alex? Are you in here- Oh… Sorry.” It wasn’t until Lafayette backed out of the bathroom that Alexander realized how the scene looked from his point of view. After all, he couldn’t see John’s wound from there. He groaned and quickly finished patching up John’s side before going over to his brother, who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for them. “Hey, Laf?”

“I won’t tell anyone.”

He rolled his eyes. “Nothing happened. He was hurt from the fight with Jefferson and I was helping him clean it up.”

“Oh, that makes so much more sense,” Lafayette sighed, chuckling awkwardly.

Hercules raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t ask. With his group of friends, he sometimes wasn’t sure that he wanted to know.

“So, are you two going out yet?” Alexander asked, casual as asking about the weather.

Lafayette wasn’t nearly as casual about it. His face went bright red and he failed to stutter out a proper response, speaking in broken words, both in English and French.

“Didn’t think so.” Alexander walked back to John, who put his shirt down and hopped off of the counter.

“Thanks.” He walked past him and went upstairs to a guest room that was practically his own, clothes even left in there from all of the times he’d slept over. It really was a miracle that he hadn’t met Alexander before.

Alexander followed him and stepped inside, awkwardly standing there. “Uh… I never thanked you for what you did today. And I never apologized for destroying your painting.

John shrugged. “Don’t mention it and I’ll have it fixed in time.” It was obvious in his cold tone that he cared.

“Let’s just start fresh. I’m Alexander. I have anger issues and like getting in fights.”

John glanced up at him and sighed, putting his sketchbook down. “I’m John. I hate bullies and random jerks.”

“I noticed… Do you think we can continue that drawing from earlier?”

John shrugged and made room for him on the bed. “Sure, why not.”

Alexander smiled and sat beside him, continuing to improve his drawing skills, slowly but surely.

Meanwhile, Lafayette was still embarrassed as he stood beside Hercules, having no idea how to explain what Alexander had said.

Hercules smiled and wrapped his arm around the stuttering Frenchman’s waist. “Laf, be honest. Do you want to go out with me?”

That shut him up.

Lafayette looked up at Herc, only a few inches shorter, and nodded, his face still pink.

“Then we’re together. Simple as that.”

Lafayette smiled shyly. “I should’ve done something earlier, then…”

Hercules shrugged. “Maybe so, but we’re together now. That’s what matters.”

Lafayette nodded and walked up to his room with him. More often than not, John joined them, but there were still many days when John prefers to be alone, hanging out with the pair after a while. So, the pair were alone…

Hercules sat across from Lafayette on his bed, smiling sweetly at him. “So, how long have you liked me?”

“Uh..” Lafayette blushed, covering his face. “Since we met…”

Hercules looked at him surprised. “All these years? Damn, I knew I should’ve asked you out.”

Lafayette peeked through his fingers at him. “You too?..”

“Yeah. Ever since we were kids.”

Laf smiled and uncovered his red face, the sight making Hercules smile.

“Can I kiss you? I’ve been dying to since forever ago.”

Lafayette nodded quickly and leaned forward, Hercules chuckling as leaned in the rest of the way and kissed him softly. The kiss began soft and sweet. Then it changed. It became more and more passionate with every passing second until Lafayette found himself laying back on the bed, Hercules hovering over him as they kissed. It didn’t stop there. After a quick discussion and mutual agreement, they both lost their virginities.

After a few hours, John realized how dark it was outside and got his stuff together to walk home.

“I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” he told Alexander, smiling at his new friend.

Alexander sighed. “I’ll see you then.” He didn’t really want John to leave, but they did all have school the next day.

John got up and left, going back to his place.

Alexander got ready for bed as soon as John left, wanting to see him again, but was unsure as to why. In the morning, he got up and left before he could be offered a ride by Lafayette, going back and seeing John paint probably as fast as humanly possible.

“Hey… Good morning…” Alexander greeted, starting to feel bad about his little stunt the morning before.

“Hey. Sorry, I’m kind of busy, but you can sit here and watch or something.”

Alexander nodded and did just that, staying nearby and watching as the wall came back to life. John really was talented… He didn’t deserve for a jerk like himself to come up and ruin everything, even if he did already recreate a huge chunk of it. “I’m really sorry about that…”

“Too late for apologies, I’m afraid. It’s fine. I should be able to get it done in time.”

“In time?..”

“It’s a commission piece. All of the ones that you’ve seen on the walls of the school, they’re all commission pieces.”

Now Alexander felt worse, not that he could blame John. If he had known he was doing it for money… Well, he probably would’ve acted just the same, if not worse. “Sorry… I just wanted a fight. It’s common. I can’t really control what I do when I get like that.”

“It’s fine, I get it.”

“… What?” Was he hearing right? The guy whose painting he destroyed was just going to forgive him now?

“I get it. I used to be the exact same way until I began painting regularly. It really helped me.”

“Oh..” This was the last guy Alexander would’ve pegged as having anger issues. But he supposed you couldn’t just judge a book by it’s cover.

He sat and watched John paint for the rest of the morning, then went to class with him. Much to his surprise, John only kept drawing once they got there, pulling out a sketchbook once he was done with his classwork. Alexander watched him draw, trying to look over the cover.

He must’ve been leaning farther over than he believed he was.

“Mr Hamilton. Cheating already, are we?”

Shit, that was right. John’s work was right there on his desk, as Adams could clearly see, standing over the two. “Uh..”

“Not everyone who’s done with their work early is cheating, sir,” John replied, not even looking up from his sketchbook.

“Excuse you? So, I suppose you know that Alexander was trying to copy your work?”

“Yes, except that is the exact opposite of what I said and Alexander couldn’t possibly be copying my work when his own is just as finished as mine.”

“That’s detention, Laurens.”

John shrugged and continued drawing.

“And for Alexander.”

“For what?” John asked, finally putting his sketchbook down.

“As you said, you know he was trying to copy your work.” Adams walked back to his desk, a few kids snickering.

John rolled his eyes and ignored them all, going  back to drawing.

Just like before, Alexander craned his neck to see what John was drawing aaaannnnnddd

Success! He looked over his arm and saw… A girl? A small girl, probably about seven or eight, with freckles and green eyes.

“Is that your sister or something?”

John slammed his sketchbook shut, making Alexander flinch and sit straight up in his seat.

“Sorry.”

John didn’t respond and opened his sketchbook again after a few minutes, drawing and working on a different pictures, which Alexander saw from the colors he was using this time.

After class, Alexander tried to talk to John, but he just walked off. Did he really do something that wrong?..

He frowned and went to class, ignoring Thomas’s stupid teasing. Luckily, he didn’t try anything after class that time.

During lunch, he sat down with Lafayette and Hercules again, surprised to see that John actually approached him. … Then he sat with Lafayette. Okay, that made more sense. “Um… John?.. Can we talk?..”

John sighed. “Yea. Come on.” He got up and lead him out of the cafeteria, showing him out to the hallway. “You any good at keeping a secret?”


	4. Chapter 4

“Yeah, of course.” Alexander nodded. “Whatever I did, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Good. Um..” He made sure nobody else was around before turning back to Alexander, looking less defensive and way more upset. “I don’t live at home anymore… I live on my own.”

“What? Why?” Alexander asked worriedly.

“My dad kicked me out… That’s a story for another time, though. Just please don’t tell Laf or Herc… I don’t want them worrying about me.”

Alexander hesitated before nodding.

John sighed. “Thank you.. That girl you saw me drawing, that was my sister, Mary… I miss her and my other siblings and I just got emotional back there.”

“Understandable.. I’m really sorry..” He didn’t think it was possible for him to feel worse about wrecking the painting. “And about the painting, if you don’t finish it on time, I could always-”

“No. I know what you’re going to offer and the answer is no. I don’t do handouts. Nothing personal, okay?”

Alexander opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. He knew there was no changing John’s mind, so he closed his mouth and nodded.

“Good. Thank you.” He smiled. “Do you want to eat lunch outside? It’s quiet. Not to paint, just to sit. I don’t feel like dealing with Jefferson right now.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Alexander followed him outside to where John painted, sitting against the wall with him. “So… Tell me about yourself. I noticed you like turtles.” It was hard not to considering the fact that the front cover of most of John’s books were covered in turtle stickers.

He smiled. “Yeah, I do. It’s weird, but I’ve just always been fascinated by them.”

Alexander nodded. “Do you have them as pets?”

John shook his head. “No, I don’t really have the time to care for them. I wouldn’t want to do that to them, you know?”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

“That would be cool, though.”

All of a sudden, Alexander wanted to buy him a turtle. After all, with the trouble he caused him, John had been nothing but nice to him, which was more than he could say for almost anyone else. And John was somehow different from everyone else, too. He didn’t so much as get irritated around him and he wasn’t the type to try and change him and his anger issues because he’d had his own. John was just… He was great…

“… Alex?”

“Huh?” Oh, god, had John been talking to him all that time?

“I asked if you had any pets.”

“Not now, but George said I could get something today.” That wasn’t true, but he was sure it wouldn’t be too much trouble, right?

“Oh, that’s cool.” He smiled.

“Want to come with me? You seem like you know a thing or two about animals.”

“Yeah. That sounds like fun,” he replied, smiling a bit wider now.

“Great. We can all go after school.”

“Yeah, that would be great if we didn’t have detention.”

Alexander groaned. He’d already forgotten all about that. “We can just go after, then. I’m sure Laf won’t mind too much, right?”

“Knowing Laf? No, he won’t. It’s settled, then.”

Alexander nodded. “Yep.” And a quick conversation over text during his next class ensured that he would not be getting into deeper trouble.

“What are you doing, Alex? Adams will kill you if he sees that,” Lafayette warned. “He already gave you detention.”

“How would you feel about going to the pet store tonight?”

“Wait, what?” he asked, confused by the sudden topic change.

“Pet store. I want to buy some turtles, but I need a ride.”

Now it made sense. Lafayette smiled knowingly and nodded. “That sounds good. Right, Herc?”

He nodded, just as knowing as Lafayette. “Yeah, that sounds nice.”

Alexander smiled. Things were going according to plan.

After class, Alexander dashed out to go meet John for gym, running right past Thomas Jefferson and leaving Lafayette and Hercules behind.

“He’s awfully excited. There’s no doubt that he’s going to see John.”

Hercules smiled and nodded, attempting to take Laf’s bag for him before it was snatched away. Not by Laf, but by Thomas Jefferson.

“Isn’t it a boyfriend’s job to hold that for you, sugar?”

Lafayette rolled his eyes. Besides being an awful bully, Thomas Jefferson was a notorious flirt. “And that is why Hercules grabbed it for me.”

“Aw, how cute. You’re letting him think he’s good enough for you.”

“He is more than good enough for me,” Lafayette snapped, snatching his bag away.

Thomas chuckled and followed as the couple walked out of the room. “I like it when you’re feisty like that. It’s hot.” He stepped in front of them and pressed a purple sticky note to Lafayette’s forehead. “Call me when you’re done with your little charity case here.” He smirked and walked off.

Lafayette grabbed the sticky note and ripped it into tiny pieces before throwing them into a trash can. “He’s disgusting. You know I only have eyes for you, right Hercules? He’s being stupid.”

Hercules nodded, though not completely convinced… “Yeah, I know.” He kissed Lafayette’s cheek.

After school, Alexander followed John out of the locker room and started towards Adams’ class… But John didn’t. “Where are you going?”

“I’m not going to detention for something I didn’t do. And neither are you.”

“What?” Maybe it was something that Alexander would do, but he never suspected that John would.” But what if he calls your parents?”

John looked at him, a deadpan expression on his face.

“Right, sorry.”

And so, the two walked out and John led him to an apartment building. It was a bit run down, but nothing too bad, especially considering that John was only a high school student. He took him to the second story of the building and led him into one of the apartments. It was… More than Alexander expected, to say the least. It was well furnished and spacey.

“This place is nice..”

“Thanks. Art really goes a long way when you know what you’re doing.”

“I can tell,” Alexander nodded, sitting down on the couch with John.

“So, we have a good hour before we have to meet Herc and Laf at your place.”

Alexander nodded. “Can we draw again?”

John smiled. “Yeah, of course.” He got his sketchbook and a clean one for Alexander, then helped him draw some more.

Alexander loved that time with John. It felt like he was letting him into a whole other world, showing him a part of him that nobody else knew about and he couldn’t figure out why.

John knew exactly why. Drawing was always something that he shared with people he was closest to, with all of his friends and with his siblings and, now, with Alexander. It was nice to feel close to someone like that again… Wait, like what? John liked Alexander like a friend, didn’t he?.. No… He liked him as more, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

As for how Alexander felt… He knew he felt the same… He just didn’t know what to do about it. Not after last time…

No. John wasn’t like that. He was different, he just knew it. But how he would tell him about his feelings… That was the real question.

An hour flew by before either of them knew and John got up, getting ready to go to Alexander’s house, though the other didn’t move from his place.

“Alexander? What’s wrong?”

“I… Uh…” He took a deep breath. “You’re going to think I’m insane.”

John furrowed his eyebrows and sat back down. “What is it?”

And, for once, Alexander was glad that he was so impulsive.


	5. Chapter 5

Simply put, Alexander grabbed John by the shoulders and kissed him, his actions definitely expressing what he meant.

John’s eyes widened at the initial shock of the kiss, but it wasn’t long before he melted into the kiss, showing Alexander that he felt the exact same way and making him blush. That definitely wasn’t John’s first kiss, even if it was Alexander’s. He could just feel it. But that didn’t matter.

When he pulled away, both of their faces were crimson red and Alexander had no idea what to say, so John spoke up.

“I really like you too.”

“I’m glad. Otherwise, this would be very awkward,” Alexander chuckled.

John smiled and nodded. “Yeah..”

“Uh, anyways… We should get going before Laf and Herc get suspicious.”

“Right.” John got up and offered his hand to Alexander, who gladly took it. The pair walked out and began walking, a trip John had taken more than enough times before.

“So… Can I ask you something?..” Alexander began.

“Yeah, of course.”

He took a deep breath. This wasn’t an easy thing to ask. “Is it okay if we could not be boyfriends?..”

John’s steps slowed for a second. “What?..”

“Not like that! I mean.. I like you, I really do, but… Labels… Labels make me nervous..”

“Oh, of course. That’s fine with me.”

Alexander smiled. John really was a great guy..

When they got back to his place, Lafayette and Hercules were waiting in the former’s car, waving as their friends appeared.

John and Alexander got into the backseat of the car, buckling up as Lafayette pulled out of the driveway and began driving them to the pet store.

When they got there, John grabbed Alexander’s hand and pulled him into the shop, going straight to the turtles.

Lafayette smiled as he watched him run off and turned to Herc. “I want to see the kittens. George said I could get one if I want.”

Hercules grinned and kissed Lafayette’s cheek. “Why? When you’re already a perfect kitten.”

Lafayette blushed. “You flatter me..” He got out of the car with Hercules and went into the shop, going towards the kittens. An employee let them in and they all immediately flocked to Lafayette, the Frenchman smiling brightly.

Hercules smiled and watched as Lafayette interacted with them all, finding it adorable how they all liked him so quickly. He tried to pet the kittens as they waited their turn for Lafayette’s attention, but they all scampered away when he got close, intimidated by his size. He frowned a bit and kept trying, but the same thing happened each time.

Lafayette noticed and tried to help, but with no luck. The kittens didn’t find Herc cuddly and sweet like he did. Well, most of them didn’t.  

One tiny calico kitten waddled towards Hercules, following him around like a shadow and meowing when he became discouraged. Lafayette smiled and picked her up, giving her to Hercules. “She loves you.”

Hercules’s smile returned and he carefully took the kitten from his boyfriend, letting her sit in his hands. “I like her. She’s adorable.”

“Then it’s settled. We’ll get her.” Lafayette smiled, telling the worker and getting everything she would need while Hercules continued to play with her.

Meanwhile, Alexander was looking intently at the turtles, trying to find the perfect one. He looked through the tanks before his eyes settled on one with little turtles, the biggest one being the size of his forearm. “They’re pretty cute and kind of small.”

John nodded and read the label on the tanks. “They’re terrapins, not quite turtles. That one is about as big as they get.”

Alexander nodded and looked around, smiling as one swam around happily. “I like him..” His smile slowly disappeared as his eyes trailed down and he saw one struggling to get across the bottom. “He’s small.. I want to get both of them.”

John called an employee over and Alexander tensed up when he heard her voice.

“Hey, Alexander. It’s been a while.”

He turned to her and muttered, “Hey, Peggy. That’s my friend, John.”

Peggy turned to John and smiled. “Hi. Is he still causing trouble? I bet he didn’t tell you about how he set a lab table on fire.”

“Peggy,” Alexander said, urging her to stop.

She laughed and went to him. “Alright. Let’s talk terrapins, then.”

Alexander nodded and pointed at the swimming one. “I want him.. And him.”

Peggy’s smile disappeared as Alexander pointed at the one that was wading across the bottom. “Are you sure about him?.. The little ones don’t usually survive that-”

“What’s wrong with being the little guy?” Alexander began, defensively.

“Nothing. It’s just… They don’t survive as long because they-”

“Because nobody ever gives the little guys a chance! They’re always written off as the weak ones! Well, the little guy isn’t always the weak link!”

“Alex!” John said, grabbing his hand.

Alexander snatched it away.

“Alexander. You’re my friend, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, walking out.

John frowned and apologized to Peggy before buying the terrapins that Alexander wanted himself and everything they needed. Hercules and Lafayette loaded the stuff into the trunk for him since they had the kitten’s things and let him and Alexander talk. He went and sat outside on the curb with him. “Hey..”

Alexander looked away.

“I got you your terrapins.”

His attention turned to the bowl that contained his new friends and smiled slightly. “Even the little one?..”

“Even the little one. He deserves a chance.”

Alexander smiled a bit more and took the bowl, letting John put an arm around him. “Thank you.. Um… I have something to confess to you too. At home, okay?”

“Okay. Come on. Let’s get these guys to their new home.”

They both got up and got in the car, Alexander holding the terrapins and Hercules holding the kitten. Once they got there, the brothers went to their rooms with their new pets and their John or Hercules. Well, Alexander didn’t go to his room.

He went to John’s guest room. “I want them to be with you when you come over,” he explained.

John smiled and finished setting it up, letting the terrapins swim around in their new home. “That was really nice of you… Now, what did you have to tell me?”

Alexander sighed. He doubted John would like this…


	6. Chapter 6

“I’m on antidepressants.”

“… Okay?”

“Like.. Pills. I’m supposed to take them everyday.”

“That’s it?”

Alexander nodded, confused by his lack of a reaction. “You don’t care?..”

John shook his head. “Of course not. It’s nothing to be ashamed of and it isn’t your fault.”

He smiled and sighed, almost exasperated. “I really did meet my perfect guy, didn’t I? You’re the only one that hasn’t looked at me like some kicked puppy when I told you that.”

“Because you’re not. My only question is… Do you take them?..”

Alexander frowned and looked down at his feet. “I mean… Sometimes, but… I don’t like them..”

“Alex.. It’s not about whether or not you like them.. You’re supposed to take them..”

“I know..” He sighed and left the room, coming back a minute later with a prescription bottle and some water. He opened the bottle and popped out a capsule, looking at John until he nodded, then whimering a bit and swallowing the pill, chasing it down with water and holding John’s hand tightly.

“It’s okay. You know your parents would never make you take pills if it wasn’t good for you.”

“I know..” He frowned and hugged John tightly, burying his face in his chest. He may have only met him the day before, but he was so cuddly and warm…

John wrapped his arms around Alexander and held him close, giving him the support that he clearly needed. “Do you want to go to an art gallery with me tomorrow? It’s semi formal.”

Alexander nodded. “I want to see what you do on a larger scale. I don’t know if I have any fitting clothes..”

“I’ll take you shopping then.”

Alexander sat up. “You don’t have to buy me anything.”

John shook his head. “It’s no problem. A button up shirt and a tie don’t cost that much. And you can wear some dark jeans.”

“But.. But…”

“No buts. I promise, it’s fine by me.” He smiled and Alexander felt completely reassured.

“… Okay.. Can you sleep over tonight?.. Like in here?”

“Yeah, no problem.”

Alexander smiled and let him go as George called them down for dinner, not questioning why John was there since he came around so often. When they got there, Martha was putting plates at everyone’s spot at the table, Laf helping her with the kitten in his hoodie pocket since Hercules had already left. Alexander squeezed John’s hand one more time before letting go and sitting down, picking at the food with his fork.

John didn’t notice at first since he was quite the opposite, thanking Martha and George for the food before digging in. It wasn’t until Lafayette said something that he looked up.

“Alexander, aren’t you going to eat?..”

“I’m not hungry..” he muttered. “Can I be excused?”

George sighed, showing that this was a common occurrence, and shook his head. “Come on, Alex. At least eat a little bit.”

He whined, put picked up his fork and started at the vegetables, eating a few pieces before pushing his plate away. “I’m going upstairs..” He got up and left.

John frowned and looked at Lafayette, furrowing his eyebrows as if asking if that happened often.

Lafayette nodded and looked back down at his plate, telling John that this happened often.

After eating, John went upstairs and found which one was Alexander’s room, the one with his name on the door, and knocked. “Alex? It’s me, John.”

“Come in.”

John opened the door and went to Alexander’s bed, sitting beside him as he laid down and read a book.

“What is it?”

“You don’t eat?..”

“I don’t like to.. I know I should, but I can’t. It feels gross.”

John frowned. It was only then that he realized how sunken his stomach looked, especially laying down. He wasn’t starving, but he did look too thin to be healthy. “That isn’t good..”

“Whatever..” He turned on his side, away from John.

“Sorry.. I didn’t mean to offend you..” He leaned down and kissed his cheek, then got up to leave.

“Wait.” Alexander sat up. “Don’t apologize. I’m sorry. I promise I’m not starving myself or anything. I just.. I don’t like eating… That’s it,” he stated, his tone final.

“Okay. I’m not mad or anything. I was just worried for a second.” John smiled reassuringly and left, going to his guest room and getting ready for bed before falling asleep.

The next morning, John woke up and went downstairs to see Alexander… cooking? The same guy who was struggling to eat a few bites the night before. John smiled.

“Good morning.”

Alexander turned and smiled at him. “Good morning..” He turned back to the stove. “Just sit down. I’m almost done.”

John got a mug of coffee before sitting down at the table and waiting.

George was already downstairs, but Alexander must’ve told him something because he was sitting with his coffee mug and a bowl of oatmeal in the living room. Or, maybe, he just knew.

A few minutes later, Alexander put two plates of bacon and eggs at the table and sat beside John. His plate had dramatically less food, but it was more than he’d eaten the night before, so that had to be good.

John immediately dug in, as usual. “This is pretty good.” He smiled thankfully.

“No problem. You’ve just been so nice to me… I wanted to do this for you.” He hesitated, then leaned up and kissed John’s cheek.

John smiled and cleared his plate, but Alexander had only made it just over halfway through his own.

“I can’t finish this.. I’m full..” he told John, frowning. It was more than the night before, but it was still so little…

John smiled softly. “It’s fine. Do you want me to finish it for you?”

Alexander nodded and pushed the plate towards him, finishing his coffee and waiting for John to finish. “So.. Herc and Laf wanted to hang out at Herc’s place later tonight. I was thinking that maybe we could go after the art gallery?..”

That was new. It was no secret that Alexander never hung out with his brother, considering that John definitely would’ve noticed by then if he had. Social interaction could be good for Alexander, so John nodded. “That sounds great.”

Alexander smiled. “Great.”

John smiled back and finished Alexander’s breakfast, then went upstairs and took a shower.

Alexander did the same after him and met him in his room, finding him feeding the terrapins.

“I called us an Uber. It should get here soon.”

Alexander just blinked. He didn’t even say anything. “How did you…?”

John turned around and shrugged. “I have four younger siblings. I’m perceptive. Are you ready?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I already told Laf we’d be going.”

“Great. Can’t have our mom friend worrying,” he chuckled before walking out of the room and downstairs, Alexander following him out once the Uber got there. He held his hand in the car and stayed silent while John made small talk with the driver.

When they got to the mall, John paid and got out, holding Alexander’s hand and leading him out.

“I’ll pay on the way to the gallery.”

John shook his head. “No way. My art gallery, my treat. Besides, I pay for it every time. It’s no problem.”

Alexander kept whining all the way to the store, but John just blocked it out and walked him to the mall, taking him to a shop and looking through the button up shirts until he found a color that would look nice on him.

“Here we go. You look good in baby blue. All we need now is a black tie,“ John smiled.

Alexander looked at the shirt and nodded, finally going quiet . He finally realized that John was not going to be so easily swayed. "Yeah, I guess it does.”

“Great! We can hang out around here for the rest of the day, if you’re up for it.”

Alexander nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like fun.”

Back at home, Lafayette was sitting with his kitten, petting her down her back. “Rosie.. That’s it.” He smiled. “I’ll name you Rosie.” He pulled out his phone and opened Snapchat, knowing that Hercules would like to know. He took a picture of his sweet kitten and sent it to Hercules with the caption [I’ve decided on a name! She will be named Rosie!]

He received a response a few minutes later, a picture of Hercules in his parents’ tailor shop. [That’s perfect! It definitely fits her!] His next picture was of him rolling his eyes. [Sorry if I don’t text much today. I’m on shop duty and I’ve got an appointment with the devil himself.]

Lafayette furrowed his eyebrows, sending Hercules a confused picture of himself. [Who do you mean?]

Hercules rolled his eyes in the picture again. [Who else? Thomas Jefferson.]


	7. Chapter 7

(TW: Sexual harassment)

Lafayette frowned and sat up, switching to just messaging Herc on Snapchat. [Him?! You have to deal with him?!]

[Yeah, I know. It sucks.] [But it could be worse.]

[:(] [Maybe I could come over and support you.]

[No, you don't have to do that. I can deal with him myself just fine.]

[I know, but he still sucks. I want to come over. I'm not taking no for an answer. I'll be there in a bit.]

[Laf, It's fine. Just stay home.] He was afraid that Jefferson would keep harassing Lafayette if he came anywhere near the shop while he was there.

[Nope. I'm already getting ready. Please?]

He sighed. His boyfriend was too stubborn. He probably got that from John. [Alright. Just promise me you'll be careful.]

Lafayette frowned. It was only then that he realized why Hercules was so insistent on him staying at home. [I'll be just fine.] He got ready to go over to his place and asked Martha to take care of his kitten before leaving, driving to Herc's shop.

When he got there, the tailor was behind the till, looking bored out of his mind until he saw his boyfriend at the door. He smiled and waved as he walked in. "Hey, baby. I had to close the place down for Jefferson's appointment, so I've just been stupid bored waiting here for you."

Lafayette walked over and kissed his cheek. "Well, I'm here now. There's no way I'm leaving you along to deal with his stupidity."

"Thanks." He smiled. He was so lucky to be with someone as sweet as Lafayette was.

"So, when is Satan getting here?"

Hercules shrugged and checked the time. "Not for a little while, but we always close up early for appointments to make sure we can fit them in. They usually aren't the most patient customers." He rolled his eyes as he thought about every stupid customer coming in with completely ridiculous complaints and claims that they should've been prioritized over a full shop. So many of them simply never came back and a lot of money was lost that way, so they changed their policies. It kept the stupid rich Jeffersons happy, at least.

"That's awful. I will never understand why the rich believe that they can manipulate anyone for money. It's ridiculous." Lafayette rolled his eyes.

"I know, but let's not focus on that now. You’re here and that’s all that matters.”

Lafayette blushed and sat on the counter that Hercules was working at, spending some time talking to him until that inevitable moment when Thomas Jefferson walked through the shop doors. Thomas walked in and grinned the second he spotted Lafayette. "Well, hello."

Lafayette ignored him and sat in the rolling chair that Hercules had gotten up from.

"You're here for clothes, not to ogle my boyfriend."

Jefferson waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I know. That's just a bonus."

Hercules grimaced. Already, Jefferson was getting under his skin. "What are you here for today?"

"Suits," Jefferson stated plainly. "I put in an order for a suit with your father and I'm here to get it."

"Right. I'll be just a second." Hercules disappeared into the back.

While he was gone, Lafayette could feel Jefferson's eyes staring right at him, but continued to look down at his phone, though not at anything in particular. Clearly, Thomas's thoughts weren't nearly as idle. The second that Hercules came back with the suit, he knew exactly what he wanted.

"I want to see the suit modeled."

Hercules gritted his teeth and put on his fake salesman smile. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that for you. After all, I'm the only one working here today and I'm nowhere near the same size that you are."

"That's for damn sure. I want Lafayette to model it for me."

"Lafayette doesn't have to do. He doesn't work here."

Thomas nodded. "I know that. But I want to see him model it for me. I'll pay double what I'm already paying for this appointment."

Lafayette looked up from his phone at the offer and Thomas knew he had him right where he wanted him. After all, the Mulligan's weren't the most well off people. They weren't exactly having any financial  issues, but Thomas was offering them a lot of money for such a small price.

Only it wasn't a small price. Not to Hercules. "Lafayette's not interested."

Thomas rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll just pay and go." He took the suit and paid for it, then began to leave. The second he left the shop, Lafayette got up.

"It's just a suit. It couldn't be too bad."

"Laf, I don't want you to do that for me."

Lafayette shrugged. "I want to do this for you." He went and got Jefferson, who was just a few steps away. "Wait. I'll try it on for you.. But on my terms. Not yours and not Herc's. If I say no, that's it."

Thomas hid his smirk and nodded, following Lafayette back in and giving him the suit as he made his way to the changing room.

Thomas sat down on the chair in front of the pedestal and waited, ignoring Hercules and his disapproving glare.

When Lafayette came back, he stepped up on the pedestal and stood with his arms at his side as Thomas circled him like a predator to prey, looking at how the suit fit him from every angle. It looked a bit too gaudy on Lafayette, the bright magenta and frills were not his thing, but it was clearly something that Thomas Jefferson would wear.

After another minute or so, Thomas stood up straight and proclaimed, "I want to see some dresses."

Hercules got up to intervene. "You can't make him do that. You won't even wear them. You just want to see him."

"As if you don't? I'll triple the pay for that."

"I'll do it," Lafayette stated, stepping off of the pedestal. After all, he already tried on that suit. What more was a few dresses?

"Perfect." He handed Hercules his credit card and waited, letting the tailor pick out the dresses.

Hercules looked at Lafayette, his eyebrows furrowed, but Lafayette was not moving on the issue, so he sighed and retreated to a dress rack, picking out a few and giving them to Lafayette.

The Frenchman disappeared into the dressing room and tried on one of the dress, seeing exactly why Hercules picked out the one he did. He stepped out and Thomas tutted, disappointed at the choice. Long sleeves, long skirt, and a high collar, Lafayette was effectively hidden.

"It's a bit boring of a choice, don't you think?"

"I think Laf looks just fine."

Thomas shrugged. "Well, yeah. Look at him. Lafayette would look good in a burlap sack, but I think you know exactly what I mean. I'll pick something, if you don't."

"No. I.. I'll pick something else." Hercules looked extremely hesitant to do so, so Lafayette stepped in once again.

"I'll pick something." He went to the dress rack and picked something that would hopefully satisfy him, but that wasn't too showy, and changed into it. He came back out a minute later and stood on the pedestal, Jefferson looking far more pleased. With a knee length skirt, low back, and lower neckline, he had reason to be.

Once again, he circled Lafayette, taking in each and every detail of how the dress fit him. "Twirl for me."

Lafayette scoffed. "I will not! And why should I when you're circling me like a vulture as is?"

Thomas rolled his eyes, but didn't push the matter. "You know, this dress would look a hell of a lot better with a slit up the leg. Right here." He ran his finger up Lafayette's thigh and up the side of the skirt until he smacked his hand away.

"I think he gets it. The visual isn't necessary."

Thomas shrugged. "Just making sure it gets through."

Lafayette rolled his eyes. "Am I done here?"

"Hmm.. No. I want to see you in something with a shorter skirt."

"No," Hercules stated and, for once, Lafayette didn't argue against it.

"Oh, come on. You know you want to see him in one, too."

Hercules gritted his teeth. Thomas was treating Lafayette like an object.

"Can you honestly say you don't want to see him showing his ass off in one of these-" He was cut off as Hercules punched him in the jaw, knocking him out.

When he realized what he'd done, Hercules gasped and knelt down. "Shit, shit, shit , shit."

Lafayette knelt down beside him and put a hand on his arm. "It's okay, it's okay. He's alive. Just tell him I did it."

"Laf, I couldn't."

He grabbed his shoulder. "You can. I know you can."

Hercules sighed. He didn't want to argue with Lafayette, but he didn't want him to feel the need to take the fall for that stupid attack.

Lafayette sighed and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry. If it's me, he won't do anything. I promise."

Hercules smiled a bit and nodded, knowing that Lafayette was right... Thomas wouldn't hurt Lafayette nearly as easily as he would've Hercules. "Okay..."

"Great." He pecked his lips. "I'll go change out of this. You know I'd only enjoy showing myself off for you." He got up and left to the changing room, leaving Hercules blushing. When Lafayette came back, Thomas was already coming to, sitting in the chair that Hercules had lifted him onto.

"Ugh... What happened?" he groaned, rubbing his sore jaw.

Lafayette didn't hesitate to cross his arms over his chest and take the blame. "I knocked you out. I didn't appreciate you thinking you can just put your hands all over me."

Thomas tutted. "Right. I was just talking about how good you looked and you threw a bitch fit and hit me."

"Exactly." Lafayette was glad to see that Thomas accepted the lie so easily. "I hope that taught you not to treat people like your toys."

He just rolled his eyes. "You make it too easy."

Lafayette scoffed. "All that and you're still.. Whatever." He sighed.

Hercules gave Thomas his credit card back. "Triple the usual, as promised."

"Yeah, yeah." He put the card back in his wallet and locked eyes with Lafayette, grinning. "Make sure that this pretty little thing is there and I'll pay you what you want to watch him change.

Okay. That was it. Lafayette grabbed Thomas's arm, yanking him forward, and used his lack of balance to spin him and throw him down onto his stomach, pinning his arm behind him.

"Hey, what the-"

"You will not talk to me like that anymore. That is not a request, that is a fact. You will not, if you want to keep this arm."

"Whatever! Just let me go!"

Lafayette huffed and got up, letting him go.

Thomas glared at him for a second, then finally left.

Lafayette sighed. "Finally."

Hercules merely stared, dumbfounded. "How did you..."

"John taught me, of course."

"Right," he chuckled. "Right, I forgot that Jack knew how to fight like that."

"Yeah." He smiled. "Come on. Let's go watch some movies while we wait for them to come over." He kissed Herc's cheek and led him through the back of the shop to the house that he and his parents lived in on the other side of it.


	8. Chapter 8

Alexander and John got to the art gallery without a problem, John holding Alexander’s hand as they walked inside.

“Before we get there, I feel like I should tell you that I work with a business partner. His name is James Madison and he’s a bit icy, but he isn’t rude or anything.”

Alexander nodded, glad that John told him now rather than later.

“Cool. When we get in there, we can go look at art for a little bit before I have to go to my spot and sell with James.”

“That sounds good.” Alexander smiled and walked around with John, enjoying looking at the other works of art. John told him that there hadn’t been much of a theme, just that everyone had to bring in portraits, and it showed. There were faces of all sorts of styles. Cartoon, photo-realistic, sculpted, he enjoyed all of them. That is, until… “What the fuck is this?..” Modern art. A few dots and some lines on a canvas to convey how mixed up the people in the world were.

John cleared his throat to hide his laughter at the reaction and pulled Alexander away. “Modern artists. I know what you mean, trust me. Come one, I should be getting back.” He chuckled quietly as he began leading him back to his own booth, where James Madison was selling the art himself.

“Hello, John. I’m glad to see you showed up.” His comment was a bit cold, but it seemed to just bounce off of John, especially since he didn’t seem to mean it.

“Sorry. I was showing Alexander some of the art around here.”

James nodded and smiled at Alexander. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Alexander waved. “Yeah..”

John let Alexander’s hand go for the first time that night and went to James’s side, helping him sell the art and telling some people about the details they wanted to know about it.

Alexander watched as they worked together, almost like a machine, they worked so well together. And, knowing that it was ridiculous, he hated it. He was jealous of how him and James worked together. John was with him, after all. Still, he knew it was stupid. He knew he would’ve done something stupid if he stayed, so he went up to John and tugged at his sleeve, looking smaller than usual. “Hey, John?.. I’m going to look at some other art. I’ll be back.”

John smiled at him and nodded. “Okay. I’ll be right here.”

He nodded and left. Damn it. This was one of the only good sides he saw to taking his stupid medicine. No bursts of anger. Oh, speaking of which. He went to the bathroom and got a sip of water as he took his medicine, then began looking around the exhibits, stopping when he got to a group of  people that were around a stage, looking at an auction. It normally wouldn’t have caught his attention, but the auctioneer’s voice was so annoying, he couldn’t ignore it.

“Hear ye! Hear ye! My name is Samuel Seabury and I present to you this week’s beautiful art!”

Alexander walked closer, scrunching up his nose as he saw that he was showing off that stupid modern art stuff. “That so-called art looks like it could’ve been made by a blind toddler!”

A few people snickered and Samuel glared out in his general direction.

Alexander didn’t care. He had an opinion and screw whoever he offended with it. “Hey, don’t ignore me just because you know it’s true! You know you’re trying to sell trash!”

“Excuse you!” Samuel began. “I’m trying to do my job here! Just because you don’t understand fine art-”

“I don’t need to understand fine art to hate that! I just have to have eyes!”

James heard the yelling and looked over as Alexander continued to disturb the auction, getting John’s attention. “Uh… John?..”

He excused himself and turned away from the customer that he was talking to. “Yeah?”

James pointed over at where Alexander was and John’s smile disappeared.

“Oh no..” Well… What was there to do? If he went over, people would think that he was trying to hassle other artists and give himself the attention, but if he did nothing, Alexander would’ve probably gotten kicked out… So, he took his next best bet and called Alexander.

Alexander ignored the call the first time. And the second time. Then it distracted him and he moved out of the crowd, everyone letting him just go by. Why not? He was a disturbance, but he was funny and he didn’t hurt anyone. Alexander pulled out his phone, his eyes going wide as he saw who called him. This was exactly what he wanted to not happen! But he answered anyways. “Hello?..”

“Hey, Alex. Can you come back over here? Now?”

“Yeah, of course.” He put his phone up and went over to where John was waiting, his face completely unimpressed. “Hey..”

“Hey, Alex. You know, we could hear you, right?”

He frowned and looked down at his feet. He knew he deserved it, but he still hated how John was chastising him. “Yeah… Can we talk about this later?..”

John sighed and nodded, going and kissing Alexander’s forehead. He had a feeling that he knew what caused it and, if he was right, then Alexander did not need him yelling at him in the middle of the crowd like that. “No problem. Just stay nearby, okay?”

Alexander nodded and sat down just outside of John’s booth, behind him and Madison. He spent the next hour or so on his phone, playing games until he heard a small commotion, a few gasps and some fluttering. He looked up and saw people staring in his direction.. Only above his head. He looked up and saw a confused pigeon flying around, running into windows and trying to get out. That explained the sound. He stared at it and watched it try to escape, almost seeing himself in it. After all, he felt the same way when he had his anger spells: out of control and trapped, with everyone watching. He frowned and felt bad for the poor thing, hoping that someone would come and get it soon. Within a minute, the gasps turned into murmurs as people watched someone climb up to get it out. And, of course, who else would do such a thing besides John Laurens?

John hopped onto the table in the blank spaces where the art that had already been sold used to occupy and made his way around and towards the wall, climbing onto another ledge, then another until he was at the roof. Then, he pulled off his blazer and held it out in front of him, muttering to the bird as he scooted closer and closer. “It’s okay, little guy. I’m not going to hurt you.”

The pigeon simply stared back at John as he moved closer, as calm as if he’d been looking at another bird. So calmly, in fact, that he even hopped forward and landed on the jacket, only flapping for a second as John closed him in it and opened a window, letting him fly away.

John smiled as he watched the bird leave and closed the window before climbing down, Madison looking as pale as a sheet. “What?”

“You scared the crap out of me. How could you do all that without falling?”

John shrugged. “I use to go to the forest all the time back in South Carolina. I guess I never forgot how to climb.”

James nodded. “Well, as long as you’re alright, I guess.” He chuckled dryly.

“Just sit down for a minute. I can take care of the customers for now.”

James sat beside Alexander and took a few deep breaths, then pulled out an inhaler and used it, all while Alexander stared. This was what he was jealous of?..

“Are… you going to be okay?..”

“Yeah.. I’ll be fine. I just need a minute.” After a few more minutes, he got up and sold the rest of the artwork with John.

Once they were done and the event ended, John waited outside with Alexander for their Uber to drive them to Herc’s shop.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Underage drinking, drunk sex

“Alex?.. What happened earlier?..”

Alexander frowned. He didn’t want to answer, but he didn’t want to lie. “I don’t know.. I had another stupid anger spell…”

“Yeah, I know that, but why?..”

He shrugged.

John sighed and kissed his forehead. “Okay.. I know you can’t control it.” He left it at that as the car arrived and got in with him, staying mostly silent throughout the ride. When they got to Herc’s place, he smiled and thanked the driver, then got out with Alexander and took him to the door, waiting for Hercules to come open it up for them.

“Hey, Jack. Alex. You two are looking sharp tonight.” Hercules smiled as he let them in. “Hope you guys are ready to get drunk.”

“Always,” John chuckled, taking off his jacket and dropping it on the couch once they got to the living room.

Lafayette smiled at his friends, a drink already in his hands.

“Getting a head start, I see?” John joked.

Lafayette shrugged. “Well, with you drinking, I deserve one.”

John rolled his eyes and loosened his tie, sitting beside Lafayette and Alexander sitting beside him, Hercules sitting beside Lafayette.

“Here’s the game,” Hercules began, pouring out a line of shots. “Disney movies. Everyone pick a character and every song that they sing, you take a shot.”

John always chose the princess and Lafayette always chose the prince, Hercules and Alexander picking a side character. Before long, John was cut off and Lafayette, naturally being able to handle his alcohol far better, watched, entertained as the alcohol worked it’s magic on John’s system.

“You know, Alex,” John hiccuped, leaning against Alexander with his arms around his waist. “You don’t need to be jealous of James. He’s just a business partner or whatever and he’s got a girlfriend.”

Alexander couldn’t help but smile as John spoke. He didn’t imagine that such a guy with such a tough exterior was such an adorable drunk. “Thanks, John. I’ll keep that in mind.”

John smiled and hummed happily, taking another sip of his glass of beer. “You’re the best, you know that?”

“Sure,” Alexander chuckled.

“Can I kiss you?”

Alexander smiled and opened his mouth to accept, but was stopped as John sat up and kissed him suddenly. “Mmph!” he cried out in surprise, though he was far from arguing against the kiss.

John smiled into the kiss and pulled away after a few seconds, resting his head on his restless boyfriend’s chest. “Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. I just wanted to kiss you.”

“It’s fine,” Alexander gasped out, smiling widely. God… He may have hated the taste of beer, but boy did it taste like heaven when it was mixed with the taste of John’s lips. He would’ve asked for another kiss, but it wouldn’t feel right with him being as drunk as he was.

All the while, Lafayette watched his brother and best friend act like a couple of love struck dorks, smiling. “You guys are sweet together.”

Alexander opened his mouth to argue, but stopped as he saw Lafayette pouring himself another glass of wine, biting his lip a bit. He’d tried some of the wine and it was definitely a great bottle. He hated beer, but John made it taste so good. He couldn’t imagine how the wine would taste…

John noticed his interest and grabbed the bottle the second Lafayette set it down, pouring himself a bit and downing it. “You guys have good taste.” He grinned, then pressed another kiss to Alexander’s lips again, still completely surprising him.

Not that he minded. He melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around his neck. Yeah, that was definitely better. Much better.

Lafayette rolled his eyes and stretched, turning to see Herc staring at him with dark eyes and grinning as he had the same ideas.

The pair made their way upstairs and up to Herc’s room, glad that the tailor’s father wasn’t home to hear anything.

John scrunched up his nose as he pulled away, noticing that the two of them were gone. “They are so gross.”

“I know.” He shrugged. “I guess it’s only natural. They are a couple.”

John frowned and buried his face in Alexander’s chest. “Don’t talk like that.”

“We don’t have to do anything like that.”

John peeked up at him. “Ever?..”

“Never.”

John smiled. “Thank you.” He leaned up and kissed his cheek, then laid against him. “I want to watch another movie.”

“We can watch another movie.” He smiled, cringing as he heard Lafayette and Herc not care about who heard. “If you can get them quiet.”

“Okay.” He kissed Alexander’s nose, then got up and stumbled up the stairs, tripping a few times.

John eventually reached the top of the stairs and slammed his fist against the door, effectively scaring Lafayette, who was sober enough to care. “Shut up!”

“Fuck off! We’re busy!” Hercules yelled back.

“Come on, have some decency! We don’t want to hear that! Shut up or I’m telling your dad what really happened to your bed frame.”

That shut him up.

Lafayette’s face went dark red. “I told you he couldn’t keep a secret.”

John went back downstairs to Alexander, careful not to fall down the stairs the same way he fell up them. Once he succeeded at that, he put on another movie and plopped onto the couch with Alexander, pulling a blanket over them. “Goodnight..” Within minutes, he was asleep.

Alexander smiled and kissed the top of his head. “Goodnight.” He fell asleep with him.

 

The next morning, Alexander woke up to John clinging to him like his life depended on it.

“Ugh… I drank too much..”

“I could’ve told you that,” he chuckled, running a hand over his hair.

“Noooo…” John moved down away from his hand. “My head hurts…”

“Sorry.” He carefully slid out of his grasp, replacing himself with a pillow, and went to the bathroom. When he came back, he gave John some pills and water. “For your headache,” he explained, though John didn’t hesitate to trust him.

“Thank you..” he muttered, sighing. “God, my head is killing me..” He slowly sat up and rubbed his head. “Still worth it, though,” he chuckled. “Um… Sorry about kissing you like that last night.”

“Don’t be. I… I actually kind of liked it,” Alexander admitted shyly. “Like the surprise part.”

John smiled. “I’ll be sure to remember that, then.” He kissed his cheek and stood up, stumbling to the kitchen and making a quick breakfast for everyone.

“I could do that.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s just a headache. Thank you, though.” He smiled at Alexander and let him make the coffee, more than happy to accept a cup once he was done.

Lafayette came stumbling down stairs next in a long t-shirt with Hercules following behind him. John snickered as he remembered what he did, completely unapologetic. The pair thanked him for breakfast and thanked Alexander for the coffee before eating, not wanting to bring up John’s awful actions.

“I’m going to the gym today. Do you guys want to come with?” Hercules offered, looking at the others.

John smiled and nodded. “Yeah, sounds good. I just need to swing by my place and get some workout clothes.”

“I’ll drive you.”

“No need, I already told my friend Maria that I’d need a ride home with this hangover.”

“Oh, okay,” Lafayette shrugged, accepting the seemingly honest enough answer.

John finished his breakfast, then left as soon as his friend came to pick him up.

Lafayette took Alexander home and got ready with him, both of them wanting to go to the gym.

“You just want to see Herc lifting weights, don’t you?” Alexander teased, helping Lafayette take care of his kitten since he was already done with his terrapins.

Lafayette rolled his eyes. “Funny. I guess the same goes for you and John?”

He blushed and shook his head. “No. I’m curious, but I didn’t want to be left out. I know you were going to go for Herc.”

“Well, if you were, I wouldn’t blame you. John is stronger than you know.”

“I saw him kick Jefferson’s ass. I’m pretty sure I know.”

Lafayette smiled. “Speaking of which, maybe we can see those two get in the ring.”

“In the ring? Like boxing?”

“Yes. John was a boxer when he was younger, completely undefeated, but he kept it local.”

Somehow, that surprised Alexander, even though he’d already seen him beat the crap out of someone quite a bit taller than him. “What about Herc?”

“He’s strong. They box just for fun and I keep track.”

“You?” Alexander snorted.

Lafayette rolled his eyes. “Yes, me. I’ve seen more than enough of John’s fights to know what I’m doing.”

“Alright.” To Alexander, Lafayette belonged on the stage, not in a gym. He finished what he was doing for Lafayette before Lafayette himself did, so he went up to him and tapped his arm, frowning as he flinched. Now, Alexander may have blown up at Lafayette multiple times before, but that was new. He never, ever hit him. “Laf?..”

Lafayette weakly laughed it off. “Sorry.. Jefferson was messing with me yesterday. It was on my mind and it made me jump.. I’ll explain it later. Just go change. I’m about to do the same.“

Alexander nodded hesitantly and left.


	10. Chapter 10

Alexander and Lafayette changed, then drove to the gym, quiet after Lafayette explained what he went through. Jefferson may have barely touched him, but it was still awful.

“You don’t need to pity me. I’ll be fine. It was no big deal.”

But Alexander was not convinced.

Once they arrived at the gym, they went to the weight room, where Hercules and John already were. Luckily, it was Sunday morning, so there weren’t many people there besides them and the workers there.

Hercules saw the movement out of the corner of his eyes and looked up, smiling when he saw his boyfriend and his brother there.

“Come on, Hercules. Pay attention to the weight. You can gawk at Lafayette later.”

Hercules mocked him, but listened, continuing his reps until he was done, then getting up. While John switched out some of the weights, he went to Lafayette and Alexander. “Hey, guys. I just have to get John lifting, then we can head to the ring and you can watch me kick his ass.”

“Ha! As if.”

Hercules chuckled. “Whatever, Jack.” He turned back to Alexander, who was looking at the smaller weights. “Want to give them a try?”

“What? Me?” Alexander asked, surprised by the offer. Hercules probably lifted his weight every time he worked out. He expected someone with his build to laugh at his scrawny arms and his curiosity.

“Yes, you. We can start you small, no problem. Laf can help you out, if you need it. Come on.”

John laid on the weight bench and watched as Hercules took Alexander down the line of dumbbells and found the right weight for him to start on, smiling. Alexander didn’t seem so happy that Lafayette handled more weight than he could, but he did seem to appreciate the fact that Hercules helped him out like he did.

“There we go.” Hercules smiled before going back to John.

“Finally,” he joked, grabbing the weight bar and beginning to lift, Hercules acting as his spotter.

Alexander’s eyes wandered over after a few minutes and he blushed at the sight of John lifting the weights, unable to tear his eyes away.

“So much for not coming to gawk at him,” Lafayette chuckled.

Hercules glanced over and saw Alexander staring, grinning and looking back down at John. “You have an audience.”

John looked over and smiled when he saw Alexander staring, grinning cheekily and winking.

Oh, god, that wink. Alexander was glad that he was sitting because he could feel his blood rush out of his legs and up to his increasingly red face.

Lafayette smiled at his brother’s reaction and snapped him out of his trance, getting his mind back on the weights.

John laughed at the reaction before doing the same. Once he was done, he moved with everyone else to the boxing ring, him and Hercules pulling on boxing gloves and hopping in.

“I’m about to break your winning streak,” Hercules smiled as he touched gloves with John.

“You wish.”

Laf went over the rules, not that they needed it, and started the match, John immediately circling Hercules and hitting his shoulders, moving away again each time that Hercules began to react. Hercules may have been more muscular, but that also served to make him slower. John, on the other hand, was narrow and clearly knew that he was fast.

“What happened to breaking my winning streak?”

“You’re a little bug, I hope you know that.” Hercules kept trying to get John, but it was no use. There was no pattern to his movements and there was no catching him off guard.

“Maybe I am.” John smiled and kept hitting Hercules. “Come on. Throw in the towel already. No way you can beat me.”

“Not a chance.” He kept trying and trying, but it was no use. John started throwing blows to his chest, getting two or three in before Hercules even got one, but that one was all he needed, accident or not.

John stumbled as Hercules accidentally hit his jaw, but didn’t let that stop him. He regained his balance and kept throwing punches, holding back that much less and continuing to land his hits on Hercules until Laf ended the match.

“John wins again. His undefeated title stays.”

Hercules groaned and pulled off his gloves. “Damn it, John,” he laughed. “I will beat you someday.”

“When I’m dead.” He smiled and stretched. “Alright, Laf, do you want to get beaten, too?”

“Nope!”

John laughed, smiling pleasantly as he saw Alexander trying to climb into the ring. “You want to fight, Alex?”

“I want to box, yeah.”

Hercules got him a pair of gloves and a quick summary of the rules before sending him up to John with a “Good luck.”

Alexander smiled at John. “I guess I’m going to end your streak.”

“Cute.” John chuckled and touched gloves with him.

Lafayette told them to start and, once again, John was on top of him, throwing his weak punches before Alexander could even react and moving away before he could face him.

Alexander was frustrated by John’s actions, but far from mad. He controlled himself better than before. He knew he did. With John right there, he had to. “You’re too stupid fast!” he whined, though there was little, if any, malice behind it.

John chuckled. “Alright. I’ll make it a little bit easier for you.” He moved in front of Alexander and stayed in his sight.

Alexander got a few hits in, but John was still doing the majority of the attacking.

“Come on, Alex, you can beat him,” Hercules cheered from the sidelines. “Just pretend he’s Jefferson and kick his ass. John won’t hurt you.”

Oh no.

Alexander may have been able to control his anger with John right in front of him, but just the thought of Thomas Jefferson was enough to set him off after what he did to Lafayette.

“You can beat up Thomas Jefferson, can’t you?”

Alexander blinked a few times and, all of a sudden, it wasn’t John standing in front of him with his playful, determined grin, but Thomas Jefferson, with his cocky smirk. He couldn’t stop himself. He growled and stepped forward, punching John in the cheek.

John stumbled back in surprise and barely caught himself, holding his face. It wasn’t like with Hercules, holding back. Alexander actually tried to hurt him. “Ow..”

He gasped when he realized what he’d done and threw off his gloves, going to John and looking at his face, then hugging him, burying his face into his tank top. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

John tugged off his gloves and rubbed his cheek a bit, wrapping the other arm around Alexander. “It’s okay. No harm done. I know you didn’t mean it.” He kissed the top of his head and Alexander whimpered, crying quietly.  

Lafayette jumped into the ring and got their gloves, letting them focus on each other, while Hercules simply frowned and watched.

The way he saw things, he screwed them up. Alexander wasn’t his biggest fan, but he wanted to be his friend. He didn’t want to make things between them any worse than they already were.

It took maybe fifteen minutes, but Alexander was finally consoled by John. Still, with that bruise forming, he refused to look at his face.

John helped him out of the ring and walked with him to Lafayette’s car, Hercules catching a ride since he only lived a few blocks away and had walked to the gym.

When they got to the house, Alexander went straight up to his room, pulling John up with him. When they got there, he sat on his bed with him and cuddled against him. He never cared for someone like he did for John, even if he couldn’t explain why. The idea of hurting him… It really put into perspective the harm that his anger spells brought.

“I’m not mad at you, Alexander. I know that you couldn’t control it.”

“You’re way too forgiving… I punched you in the face..”

“Yeah, I know.”

Alexander hesitated before finally looking up at him with a small smile. “You’re weird..”

John couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

Alexander bit his lip, hesitating before asking, “Can I show you something weird?.. You have to promise not to show anyone… It’s not anything bad! But it’s a secret..”

“As long as it’s nothing bad, I don’t see why not,” John shrugged, watching as Alexander moved to the end of the bed, reaching down below it and pulling out… A cage? John always thought that the squeaking he heard in Alexander’s room came from the tree branches that scraped the window, but no. They came from the rat that was inside.

“His name is Pip… He was Eliza’s. Um.. You remember Peggy from the pet store?” He paused and looked up at John, continuing when he nodded. “Her sister was in my classes. I set that lab table on fire with her… And she had to get rid of Pip, so she gave him to me and I’ve been taking care of him ever since.”

John nodded and looked at the rodent as it scampered around, his running wheel squeaking, but everything else seeming to be in top shape. “He’s cute.” He was definitely a domestic rat, his white fur covered in red patches.

“He’s friendly, too.”

John smiled at that, reaching for the cage door. “May I?..”

“Yeah.” Alexander opened the door for him. “I take care of him as best as I can. I clean him when nobody else is around and I made sure Eliza had him vaccinated. And I play with him, a lot. He’s usually out of his cage like this.”

John nodded and held his hand out, letting the rat sniff his fingers. Apparently, he seemed nice enough, so Pip climbed onto his hand and crawled up his arm, sniffing him curiously, He stopped at a few spots, but ultimately made it up to his shoulders, sniffing his face and crawling around. “He’s awesome,” John laughed, careful not to disturb him.

Alexander smiled and watched as they interacted. “You are good with animals, just like that pigeon.”

“Thanks. Animals usually just like me.” He shrugged and played with Pip for a bit, hardly noticing as Alexander moved closer, not that he was complaining.

Alexander reached out and held John’s hand, smiling shyly. “I hope this makes up for your face..”

“It does, especially when you had nothing to make up.”

He rolled his eyes, still smiling. “Whatever..”

John smiled and looked at him, waiting for him to lean in before doing the same, closing the gap between their lips. He intertwined their fingers as they kissed, almost forgetting about Pip altogether.

Almost.

“Ow!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help out a broke college student, you can ask for commissions at slashgashotaku@gmail.com. I also do free requests.


	11. Chapter 11

John pulled away and snatched his hand away from Pip’s teeth.

“I’m so sorry!” Alexander picked Pip back up and put him back in his cage, the rat climbing the wall and watching the two interact.

“No, it’s fine. He was probably just being protective. He’s just a pet. I’ll be okay.” He smiled, then got up and went to the bathroom, cleaning the bite and putting a band-aid on it before going back to Alexander’s room. “I’m fine. Now, come on. Let’s eat some lunch.”

Alexander jumped up. “I’ll make it!” He ran past John and went downstairs, wanting nothing more than to make up how much he’d hurt him that day.

John sighed. Alexander was not going to let this go. To him, it wasn’t that big of a deal, but it was clear that Alexander didn’t think the same. He followed him downstairs and let him make food anyways. He knew how the guilt worked. He knew that Alexander would’ve felt awful if John had made his own food. At least he made himself a plate. It was smaller than the portion he made for John, but it was food nonetheless.

“I hope you like it.” Alexander smiled a bit.

John nodded and began eating, smiling at Alexander once he swallowed the first bite. “It’s good.” He kissed his cheek, then continued eating.

Alexander hesitantly and slowly ate his own food, sighing when he stopped most of the way through.

John glanced over and put a hand on his back, his food long gone. “It’s okay. I’ll finish it for you.”

He nodded and passed the plate to him, letting John finish the rest. When he was done, Alexander washed their dishes, then went back with John upstairs, wanting to go with him into his room instead of his own for a while. When they walked in, they found little Rosie standing by the aquarium and batting at the glass, too short to reach the top.

John smiled and picked her up, taking her down and frowning when he saw what she was staring at.

Alexander was frozen at the door, having seen it from there.

The smaller of the turtles, which they had decided to name Donatello, was floating lifelessly at the top of the tank.

John put the cat down and turned to Alexander, going to him and hugging him. “Oh, Alexander, I’m so sorry…”

Alexander didn’t hesitate to grab onto his shirt and start crying, tears running down his face. “Peggy tried to- to- to tell me… I shouldn’t- I shouldn’t have gotten him…”

“No, Alex. Don’t think of it that way. He was able to live out his last days here, where he could be happy and loved by us. It’s okay..”

Alexander kept crying for a few minutes before he let go of John, sniffling. “He’s dead…”

“I know.. I’m sorry.. Let’s do something nice for him, okay?”

Alex nodded.

“Stay right here.” He left to Lafayette’s room, coming back with a shoe box. “I have some colored pencils. I want you to decorate it how you want.” He gave him the box of pencils and sat beside him, letting Alexander decorate the box how he wanted.

When only the top was left, Alexander gave the box to John. “Can you finish it?..”

“Of course.” He took the box and decorated the top, writing his name in beautiful calligraphy and decorating all around it. When he was done, he padded the inside with tissues with Alexander’s help, then carefully fished out the little terrapin and put him in the box, Squirtle still swimming strongly and without a care. The pair went downstairs, Alexander still sniffling a bit, and went out into the backyard, digging up a hole by a tree and putting the box in before covering it up. By then, Alexander finally got a hold of himself and stopped crying, taking a deep breath as they went inside.

They went back up to John’s guest room, Alexander plopping down on the bed and John sitting beside him, running his hand in soothing circles over his back.

“I’m sorry..”

“It’s fine… Peggy warned me… I just didn’t listen.”

The pair went to Alexander’s room and spent the next few hours watching movies and letting Pip run around as he pleased.

Meanwhile, Lafayette was still with Hercules, watching him work as he had been the day before, only with Herc’s dad, Hugh there with them. His mother was in Ireland for the time being, busy with fashion shows.

“So, you and Herc are finally dating?” Hugh asked, his son doing pretty much all of the work minding the shop and the customers while he stayed and talked with Lafayette.

“Yes. He asked me out on Thursday.”

“That’s good for you. I was wondering when he’d work up the courage.”

“Dad!” Hercules complained from a few feet away, making Lafayette giggle.

“Don’t act like you haven’t liked him for years.”

Herc groaned and turned his attention back to the customer, who was stifling her laughter.

“Has he taken you on a proper date yet? He can’t call himself my son if he hasn’t.”

Laf shook his head. “No, but we were planning on going on one tonight. He said he had an outfit for me and everything.”

“Oh, that’s what he’s been working on.” Hugh turned towards his son, set on embarrassing him. “You were working on an outfit for Lafayette this whole time? I was wondering why you’d locked yourself in your room all of a sudden.”

“Dad, you are an embarrassment.”

Hugh shrugged and laughed. The two bickered all the time, but they were as close as a father and son could be. After a while, he left him alone and got to work, letting Lafayette do his own thing for the next few hours while the two worked.

As for John and Alexander, Pip was back in his cage and the movies were long forgotten, the couple just kissing in Alexander’s bed. And the actions brought up a question that had been in the back of Alexander’s head since the night before.

“Hey, John?..”

“Yeah?”

Alexander shifted a bit before asking, “Last night, you got all grossed out when I said that it was just natural for couples to have sex. Is that what you really think of it?.. Not that that’s a bad thing or anything! I mean… I won’t force you to do anything. I was just curious…”

John stayed silent for a few seconds. “I said that?..”

“Yeah… You were drunk, so I wasn’t sure.”

“Oh… Yeah, that’s what I think. I’m not ace or anything, but I don’t want to do it. At least not now. Maybe someday, but not now..”

“I understand. That’s totally fine.”

Within seconds, the air became heavy with the awkward atmosphere in the room.

“Uh.. I’m going to go take a shower. I feel gross from the gym.”

John chuckled. “I told you you should’ve gone before we watched the movies.”

Alexander shrugged and got up, grabbing a change of clothes and heading out of the room. When he came back, he was fully dressed, but the sight still made John blush when he glanced over. The shirt he was wearing, like most things, fit him too long and the shorts weren’t visible underneath it, giving the impression that Alexander just wasn’t wearing pants. “I’m wearing shorts, I promise.” He pulled up his shirt a bit to show him and John nodded.

“Yeah, I know. It just doesn’t look like it.” He smiled a bit, opening his arms for Alexander as he came back to cuddle. The pair fit so well together, Alexander’s head resting beneath John’s as he buried his head in his chest and John’s arms around Alexander’s shoulders, holding him securely close and kissing the top of his wet hair.

After a few minutes, Alexander looked up at John and the pair seemed to have the same thought, leaning in and connecting their lips in a loving kiss just as they had been for the past few hours. Hands stayed above each other’s hips, but it wasn’t like they needed anything more. What they had then was perfect.

Until a knock at the door interrupted them.

Alexander groaned and got up, not liking any interruptions on any occasion, much less when he was making out with his boyfriend. “Coming!” He pushed Pip’s cage back against the side of his bed, out of sight and out of mind, and grabbed a pair of sweatpants, pulling them on as he opened the door, expecting Lafayette. “Oh, hey, George,” he chuckled awkwardly, his face burning at the sight of George’s expression.

George thought he had caught the two in the act, but tried his best to brush it off, clearing his throat. “Dinner’s ready. I just came up here to make sure you two knew. Sorry if I… interrupted anything.”

“You didn’t! I promise. We were just watching movies.”

George nodded, but turned and left.

John buried his face into a pillow and sighed. “Well, that was embarrassing…”

Alexander nodded in agreement and sat with him. “Yeah… Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine. Let’s just go back down for dinner, okay? I’m so hungry.”

“I’m starting to see a pattern here,” Alexander chuckled, rolling his eyes and getting back up.

“I’m a glutton. What do you expect?” John got up with him and followed him downstairs to the dining room.

When they got there, they saw that Martha already set their plates out on the table. They both thanked her and sat down, eating.

“Do you guys know where Lafayette went?” George asked, realizing that he hadn’t seen his older son all day.

“He’s with Herc. The two of them are finally going out and they’re going on a date tonight. He already asked me and I said yes.”

“Why didn’t I know?”

Martha shrugged. “He’s an honest boy. He probably just forgot. My concern is with that bruise on John’s face.” She turned to face John, reaching out and tilting his face to get a better look at it. As much as he came over, Martha almost thought of him as her son. “What happened, sweetie?”

“It’s no big deal, Martha.” He shrugged. “We were at the gym earlier and I got in the ring with Alexander. He accidentally hit me.”

Accident. Alexander knew better and so did John.

“You and Alexander were boxing?..” George asked almost warily, sensing that it wasn’t exactly accidental.

“I watched my temper. I didn’t mean to hit him..”

“He really didn’t. As soon as he did it, he started apologizing and he hasn’t stopped since,” John chuckled, Martha nodding and letting him go.

“Alexander? Apologized?”

“Leave him alone, George. I know you see as well as I do that Alexander has become a new kid ever since he moved to that school. I haven’t heard of one bad thing happening since they were there.” Unfortunately, her sons weren’t as honest as they seemed.

Halfway through his meal, Alexander put his fork down and pushed the plate towards John, his head down.

“Full already?” Martha asked.

“Yeah… I had lunch earlier.”

“I see..” While it wasn’t a good amount for anyone to be eating, it was more than Alexander would usually eat.

John took the plate and finished Alexander’s food for him, George not saying a word about the interaction. Even he had to admit that Alex was different with John around. A good different, but definitely different.

Once they finished eating, the pair went back upstairs to Alexander’s room and fell asleep in each other’s arms.


	12. Chapter 12

“Can I look now?”

“Not yet.”

“How about now?”

“Nope.”

“Now?”

“Laf, you can’t keep asking every two seconds. I know you know that we’re still walking.” Hercules chuckled as he took his impatient and blindfolded boyfriend to his room to show him his outfit for their date.

“I know, but I’m excited! You’ve never designed an outfit just for me before.”

“I know and I really hope you like it…”

“I don’t have to hope. I know I will.”

Hercules smiled and blushed at Lafayette’s kind words as he opened his bedroom door, closing it behind them. “Stay right there and don’t peek.” He walked over to the mannequins that he had in his room, it was definitely more of a workroom then a bedroom, and moved it towards the center of the room, facing it towards Lafayette. “Okay… Now.”

Lafayette didn’t hesitate to pull the blindfold off, gasping when he saw the outfit. “It’s beautiful.. I knew it would be.” He went straight to Hercules, pulling him into a hug and kissing his cheek. “Thank you..”

“I’m so glad you like it.” Hercules smiled and pulled Lafayette into a quick kiss before letting him get changed. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

Lafayette nodded and looked at the dress that Hercules left for him with a bright smile. It was a deep shade of blue with an off the shoulder top and flared skirt. Lafayette hadn’t made a habit of wearing skirts before, but he definitely had expressed an interest in them. He had told Hercules that he’d worn all kinds of feminine clothes before in secret, not knowing how anyone would react to it, and Hercules finally convinced him to try it out. So, he put on the dress and a pair of tall, black platform heels that he knew would go with anything before going back downstairs to his amazing boyfriend.

The second he heard the clicking heels, Hercules turned around and smiled at his boyfriend, his expression changing in a split second as he registered just how good Lafayette looked in his outfit. “Wow… I can’t believe I managed to make you look even better… I mean… It’s you!”

Lafayette giggled at the compliment and kissed him. “I can’t believe I managed to pull off one of your designs. It’s beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful.” Hercules smiled and kissed him again, then led him out to the car, though Lafayette got in the driver’s seat since Hercules wasn’t much of an experienced driver. He drove him to the restaurant that Hercules had made a reservation at and went in with him, smiling at the French decorations and the abundance of French flags that hung around.

The pair sat down and ordered their drinks, just some soda since they were underage, then just talked.

“I still can’t believe you’re going out with me..” Hercules said, smiling shyly.

“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re my best friend. You have been since I moved here, even when we had no cue what we were saying to each other.”

“You were John’s friend too, but you’re not dating him.” Hercules joked before reaching across the table and taking Lafayette’s hand. “And I meant because you’re so beautiful… You’re so perfect.”

Lafayette blushed and shook his head. “I’m not perfect and you know it.”

“Not true. I can’t think of a single flaw that you have.”

“Clearly, you haven’t seen my grades.”

Hercules laughed. “Okay, maybe your grades aren’t perfect, but that doesn’t make me think any less of you. You’re kind, funny, gorgeous, and you’re my best friend..” He kissed his hand. “You’re perfect for me…”

“And you are for me.” Lafayette smiled, only letting his hand go to look at the menus as the waiter came by. He ordered for himself and for Hercules, knowing what he would like and knowing how to pronounce the names of the food correctly. The two continued making their small talk until the food arrived, then turned their attention to the food, still holding hands across the table.

“Wow, you really know your food.”

Lafayette chuckled. “Well, I did grow up in France.”

Hercules nodded and took a few more bites. “Did you eat like this all the time, then? This is good food.”

He shrugged. “Not all the time. What about in Ireland? How was the food there?”

“Not bad. I’m a fan, but that’s just me.”

Laf nodded and kept eating. Once they were done, Lafayette won the argument on who would pay the bill, the pair waiting for it to come and just talking again.

“This is the best night… Do you mind if I take a picture?” Hercules smiled as he got out his phone.

“Why would I when you’ve been sneaking shots of me all night?”

Hercules chuckled and blushed. “I didn’t think you’d notice…”

Laf squeezed his hand and smiled. “Of course I noticed. I just didn’t mind.”

Herc smiled back and ran his thumb over Laf’s knuckles.

Lafayette leaned across the table and kissed Herc’s cheek, the Irishman making sure to get a picture of it. It went nicely with the many other adorable pictures of his boyfriend from the night.

Once the check arrived, Hercules paid for it, despite their argument, and led Lafayette back out to the car. “Do you think we have time to sneak in a movie?”

“Of course we do.” But they were both thinking the same thing.

When they arrived at the cinema, Hercules bought them tickets to some unpopular romcom and walked with Lafayette to the theater. It was almost empty, bar a small group of kids in the first row. Perfect. He walked with Lafayette to the top row and sat with him in the corner, the movie all but forgotten by the time they sat down, Lafayette in his boyfriend’s lap.

Once the movie was over, the couple walked out. While Lafayette looked almost normal, aside from a new bruise or two on his neck, Hercules was completely disheveled. His hair was sticking up and his neck was covered in shiny kiss marks, the same lip gloss all over his face and on Lafayette’s lips, a bit messy. A few workers chuckled at the sight, though the two didn’t expect anything less. At that point, Lafayette driving the two around became more of a safety precaution than a choice. The pair drove to Hercules’s house and went up to his room, continuing what they started.

* * *

After hours of trying to join John in his deep sleep, Alexander finally accepted his fate and sat up with a sigh, listening to Pip’s wheel squeaking. It wasn’t loud, but he still made a note to try and get him a new wheel. The last thing he needed was for his rat to reveal his presence to someone who would’ve been less than keen about the idea of keeping a rat around the house. Alexander threw the blankets off of himself, careful not to disturb John, and made his way downstairs. He got a glass of water and looked outside, sighing at the one spot of overturned dirt by the tree.

His solitude didn’t last long, though. After a few minutes, John came up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him close and kissing his cheek. “Couldn’t sleep?” he asked in a hushed tone.

“No.. I woke up and kept tossing and turning, but I didn’t want to disturb you. I just came downstairs for a glass of water.”

The pair were disturbed by a small crash outside. They looked up and saw an urban fox digging through the now knocked over trash cans, digging through a bag of scraps.

Alexander’s heart soared like a kid in a petting zoo. Sure, it wasn’t much to be excited over, and George or Martha definitely would’ve chased the poor thing off to prevent too big of a mess, but the chance to see wildlife like that… “When I was back in Nevis, my mom and I used to look at the wildlife whenever we got a chance. It wasn’t much, mainly bats and raccoons, but it was weird moving here to New York and only seeing pigeons and the occasional seagull.”

John smiled and led Alexander to the glass backdoor, grabbing an apple from a bowl of fruit. “I used to go out into the woods with my mom and my sister… We’d bring food to get a better look and they would always come up to me.” He slid open the door slowly and turned to Alexander. “I need you to be very quiet, okay?”

That didn’t seem like it was going to be a problem. Alexander was already stunned by what was happening and now, they were going outside? He wasn’t going to be talking while they were there.

John smiled and kissed his cheek, then led him out to the porch, letting his hand go and quietly stepping towards the fox. Once he had its attention, he crouched down and held out the apple.

The small creature looked at him and the food curiously, then cautiously walked forward. When the human didn’t try to harm him or scare him off, he became a bit more relaxed and sat there, enjoying the fresh fruit. Once it was done, it ran off to ransack someone else’s trash, leaving two smiling teenagers behind.

John got up and went back to Alexander, looking like a kid in a candy store. “That was awesome!” he whisper-yelled as he pulled his boyfriend back inside with him. “I never thought I’d get to do something like that again.” There was no way he’d be getting anymore sleep, not after an encounter like that!

Alexander was a different type of shocked, glad that John pulled him inside because he was frozen otherwise, completely overwhelmed by the experience. It was only when John closed the glass door that he snapped out of his trance, a large grin spreading across his face. “First that pigeon, now this fox.. You really are Dr. Doolittle.”

John smiled. “Let’s just go back up to bed, okay?”

Alexander nodded and followed him upstairs. When they got back, he pushed open the door and chuckled at the messed up bed. “Geez.. No wonder George thought we were up to that earlier…” He glanced up at John. “Sorry..”

“It’s fine.” He smiled and got back in bed with him.

Alexander thought it was best to change the subject before things got weird. “You really are great with animals. I bet your apartment would be filled with pets if money wasn’t a problem.”

“You would be correct.” John chuckled. “My dad never let me have any pets and now I just can’t really afford one.” He shrugged. “But that’s no big deal. These days, I have an amazing boyfriend who got terrapins of his own just so I can come around and see them.”

Alexander blushed and leaned up, kissing John softly. “You’re a great guy. You deserve it.”

John smiled and kissed the top of his head. “Get some sleep. We have school in the morning.”


	13. Chapter 13

The morning came too soon. Alexander groaned as John’s alarm sounded and buried his face in his chest. Unfortunately, his boyfriend had different plans. He got up and moved to leave and get changed, dragging Alexander across the bed, his arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

“Five more minutes…” he whined, shifting so his head was on John’s lap.

“No time, Alex. Come on. You get ready and I’ll make us both some breakfast.”

Alexander groaned, but sat up, his hair sticking up and his eyes ringed with dark circles. He took a shower and pulled his hair back in an attempt to look decent, then fed Pip and went downstairs. He looked cleaner, but not any less tired.

By the time that he got there, John was already at the stove, finishing up their breakfast. He put it on two plates and set one in front of Alexander beside a mug of coffee, then sat down and ate his own food.

Alexander dragged his arm back and forth from his plate, fork in hand, until he couldn’t anymore, just a few bites short of clearing his plate.

John ate the rest for him, as usual, then helped Alexander to his feet and left with him.

The cold morning air seemed to wake Alexander up a bit more. He took a deep breath and squeezed John’s hand as they walked.

John raised his hand to his lips and kissed it, making the other blush. He then smiled and sighed before speaking. “I’m not going to be in tomorrow.”

Alexander stopped in his tracks for a second before taking a few extra steps and catching up with John. “Why not?” he whined.

“Because it’s my youngest siblings’ birthday. They’re triplets.” He smiled at the thought of them. “We’ve been planning this for a while, ever since they found out that my father was going on a business trip.”

Alexander went quiet and nodded. He wasn’t about to even think about asking John to stay with him instead of that.

“Don’t worry. I’ll give you more kisses today and Wednesday to make up for it.” John smiled before kissing Alexander’s cheek.

Alexander chuckled. “You’d better.”

The pair arrived at school and went to class since Alexander made them a bit later, sitting beside each other. Thomas Jefferson unfortunately came in, Alexander writing down a message to John.

[Who let the trash in?]

John chuckled and began taking notes since he wasn’t going to be there the next day before realizing that he didn’t care and pulling out his sketchbook and drawing. He drew out a diagram to help Alexander draw a cartoonish turtle and quietly ripped it out of the book before sliding it onto his desk.

That was all it took for Alexander to turn his attention away from Adams, who apparently forgot their detention, and begin drawing in his notebook. He was about halfway through when he heard his name, his head snapping up.

“Do you know the answer? Or were you not paying attention?”

“Uh-”

“1776.”

Alexander quickly glanced over to see who fed him the answer, only to see that it was… Thomas Jefferson? “Uh… 1776?..”

Adams nodded. “I stand corrected. As I was saying…”

John acted like it didn’t bother him, knowing that Jefferson probably wanted something, but Alexander remained baffled for the rest of the period. Jefferson definitely seemed the type that would’ve fed him the wrong answer just to see him squirm. He couldn’t even focus as he gathered his stuff, dropping his notebook while Alexander waited outside of the room for him. Before it could hit the floor, Thomas swooped in again and helped him, handing it back to him.

“You’re welcome, by the way,” he smirked, a chill going down Alexander’s spine.

He took the notebook and walked away as quick as he could, returning to the safety of John. “Jefferson’s being weird…”

John put an arm around his shoulders as he walked with him to class, nodding. “Yeah… He’s up to something..” After all of the hell that he’d put him through the year before, he was wary of anything that he did. But that was a story for another time. He stopped outside of Alexander’s next class and kissed him for a second before pulling away and smiling at him. “I’ll see you later..”

Alexander nodded and went into class. He had to suffer through another class with Jefferson, but at least he could find refuge with Lafayette. Or, maybe, Lafayette would have to find refuge with him.

It seemed that his brother had decided to wear a skirt to class that day, a regular white skater skirt with a t-shirt, that went just past his knees. Nothing provocative, but with Jefferson involved…

Alexander noticed the sly grin on the moron’s face as he made his way to the seat beside Lafayette’s and wasn’t about to let that happen, flying past him and pushing him out of the way before taking the seat. He didn’t seem to mind, though. He shrugged and took the seat beside Alexander. It wasn’t much better, but Lafayette was safe. “How was your date with Herc?” he asked loudly enough for Jefferson to hear, attempting to drill into his mind that Lafayette was not his for the taking.

Lafayette smiled, adjusting his skirt to make sure it was all the way down, before responding. “It was amazing… We went out to eat, then watched a movie..” His face went red as he stared dreamily into the distance, remembering the night before. Once his mind wandered far enough into the night, he shook the memory out of his head. “Sorry.. And I wore a dress when we went out, so I figured why not wear skirts?”

Alexander nodded. He knew his brother wasn’t the most masculine guy, but that didn’t bother him. “That’s nice. You look good. I’m glad the date went so well.” He wanted to help his brother build up his confidence with this new decision, but he didn’t want to keep the conversation on that for too long, not with how Jefferson had previously treated him. His attention turned to the front of the classroom as Eacker began teaching. It wasn’t his favorite class, drama and the theater, but there were some cool points to it. Alexander liked the backstage information, but wasn’t so interested in performing, unlike the two diligently taking notes beside him. Or, at least he assumed they were.

After about half an hour, Thomas ripped out a piece of paper from his notebook with just the word [Lunch?] written on it. Naturally, Alexander assumed it was for Lafayette.

He balled it up and tossed it onto Thomas’s desk, whispering harshly to him. “Laf has class. You think you’d realize that by now, you-”

“That wasn’t for Laf, Alex.”

Alexander looked at him surprised for a second, then turned back to the front of the room. He should really tell Lafayette about this… Or John… No, he couldn’t. After those pangs of jealousy that he felt around Madison… He couldn’t make John feel that. He could just ignore Thomas and he’d leave him alone, right? He distracted himself by passing notes with Lafayette. [John’s going 2 b out 2mro :(]

Lafayette didn’t notice the exchange, too busy paying attention to the lesson, though he did find it weird that Jefferson was so quiet. Maybe he’d finally scared him off. He turned to Alexander when he passed him the note, responding with much better grammar. [Aw, why? Is everything okay?] John didn’t pay attention in class, but he never skipped.

[Twins b-days, id go, but scool] And at the worst time, too. He needed John now with Thomas on his back, but his stupid drama wasn’t nearly as important as letting John see his family.

“Alexander, can I put you down for the play?”

“Yes,” Thomas offered.

“Yes,” Alexander responded without thinking, then gasping. “Wait, no!”

“No need to be shy. You’ll do just fine.”

Alexander shrunk down in his desk. Great… And of course Thomas was going to be there, too. Just what he needed.


	14. Chapter 14

Not knowing that John didn’t get to see his siblings everyday, Lafayette began to ask Alexander why he had to skip school to celebrate their birthday when Thomas tricked him into signing up for the play. Lafayette frowned, he knew his brother wasn’t meant for the stage, and quickly had an idea. “Actually, sir, that isn’t the problem. Alexander is busy almost everyday after school and wouldn’t be able to be in the play I’d gladly take his place.”

It wasn’t his best lie, but Lafayette knew it would work. He wasn’t the smartest student, but he was an outspoken one and teachers loved him. So, Eacker crossed out Alexander’s name. “Alright. No problem.”

Alexander didn’t even get a chance to argue. Sure, he hated Jefferson, but sending in Laf instead?.. [U didnt hav 2 do tat, u no] He wrote to him.

Lafayette nodded. [I wanted to.] He didn’t care that it meant having to spend time in the same building as Jefferson for that much longer. Alexander was being targeted and he wasn’t going to let it work. [You’d do it for me.]

Alexander frowned and faced forward, noticing Jefferson out of the corner of his eye staring at his notebook. He slammed it shut and held it to his chest defensively. That wasn’t just a notebook to Alexander. He’d had it for years and it was where he did all of his doodling and wrote some of his most private thoughts, ever since he was a kid. He’d brought it with him from Nevis all those years ago.

At the end of the class, Thomas looked expectantly at Alexander. “I still haven’t gotten that thank you, Lexi.”

Alexander shuddered and ignored him, leaving the room with Lafayette. “I really wish John didn’t have to go tomorrow…”

“I know… I can tell you really need him right now…”

Alexander nodded, his brother sighing.

“Well… At least you’re not going to be alone. You still have me and Herc. We’re not John, but you’re not alone.”

Alexander nodded. “Thanks…”

“I’ll see you later.” Lafayette went into his next class, one where he had to deal with Jefferson alone.

Alexander waved and silently wished him luck, then checked his phone as it dinged, smiling as he saw a text from John, but frowning a bit at the message.

[Hey, baby <3 Sorry, but I forgot to remind you to take your medicine this morning.] John was the only reason that he’d been taking his pills so regularly and he knew it. [If you take it now, I’ll give you a surprise.]

John really could make Alexander smile, no matter what. [Wut kind of supris?]

[You’ll see]

Alexander chuckled and took a bottle of water and his pills out from his backpack, staring down at them for a few seconds before popping a pill out of the capsule and swallowing it as fast as humanly possible, chasing it down with a flood of water. He hated that stupid pill. He was too conscious of the effects it had on his brain to not to. Only a second after he put the bottles back in his backpack, John appeared at his side, his sour expression turning into a bright smile.

“Hey, baby. I came to walk you to class.” John kissed his cheek and walked with him, though it was a short distance away. Once they reached his classroom, John turned Alexander around and pinned his back against the wall, then kissed him passionately. When he pulled away, a playful grin spread across his face and he kissed Alexander’s nose. “I hope you enjoyed your surprise. I’ll see you at lunch.” He let him go and began walking towards his own class, Alexander watching him all the way down the hall. Once he reached the end, John turned and blew him a kiss.

Alexander felt like he was going to melt into a pile of lovey dovey goop. He wobbled into class and plopped down in a seat next to Herc. After a few minutes, he finally floated back into the real world.

“Alex?”

Apparently, Herc had been trying to contact him the whole time.

“Wha..?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I just… I saw John before class.” After a few seconds, he began smirking. “Are you okay?” he shot back, referencing the many hickeys that decorated his neck like freckles decorated John’s skin.

Hercules blushed and shifted his scarf a bit. “Is it that obvious?..”

“No, not that obvious. Thank you for looking after Laf.”

For the first time in a long time, Alexander made Hercules smile.

The rest of the class didn’t go so well for him, though. Alexander was uncharacteristically quiet, that was the first thing Hercules noticed. The next thing he saw was the expression on Alexander’s face, the stress that was eating at him. It wasn’t good. So, he did what made the most sense and texted John.

[Hey, whats up with Alex? He’s all stressed and dazed.]

John wasn’t paying attention in class anyways, surprise surprise, so he texted back. [Idk, it may be Jefferson. He was acting all weird with him first period.] He would’ve been furious if he found out that Jefferson was flirting with Alexander after what he did to him, not that he would know.

[Makes sense…] Hercules put his phone away and turned to Alexander. “You don’t have to tell me anything. Just know that me and Laf and John are here to listen when you need it.”

“I need to talk to John..” Alexander whined quietly. His mind was flooded with worries. If he wasn’t worrying about how Jefferson was treating him, he was worried about how Laf was being treated. Worried about taking his medication. Worried about his anger and wanting to fight. Worried about hurting John.

Lafayette had his own worries. He sat across the room from Thomas, despite the fact that he was purposely sitting where he always sat, and tried his best to ignore him.

But Thomas wasn’t blind. He knew that Lafayette was avoiding him. When there was only a few minutes left in class, the teacher let everyone have free time, so he got up and sat down right beside Lafayette, trapping him. “Oh, come on. If we’re going to be in that play together, we might as well try to get along. Besides,” he grinned, “you look great in that skirt.”

Lafayette was not going to be so easily shaken. He took out his notebook and paid attention to the lesson, not without responding to Jefferson’s taunting. “I have absolutely no interest in trying to get along with the worst excuse of a man I’ve ever met. Now, I would appreciate it if you moved your eyes from my legs and onto another seat because I’m not going to deal with your pathetic excuse for flirting this whole time.”

Thomas tutted. “I’m glad to see your attitude hasn’t changed, princess,” he grumbled, referencing their last meeting at Herc’s shop. “Whatever. I’m not after you anymore, anyways. Alexander, on the other hand… It would’ve been interesting being in that play with him. And it would’ve been a good way for him to get rid of all of that… energy.” He toyed with that last word, hiding the true meaning behind it.

Oh, hell no. Thomas could say all he wanted to Lafayette, but there was no way that he was going to let him anywhere near his brother. Lafayette was far too tempted to grab Jefferson by the collar and shout at him until he got it through his thick skull that Alexander was too good for him, but he was above that. Besides, he had a reputation to maintain in the classroom. “I’m glad to hear I was able to shake off a parasite like you, but I do hope you don’t mean my brother. You repulse him just as much as you do me and he is in a relationship with the person who could easily kick your ass.” He shrugged and put his notebook away, pulling out a tube of lipgloss and touching up the layer that he was already wearing to show Jefferson that he didn’t affect him. “Whoever you’re after, I wish them the best of luck because with your tasteless comments and your so called ‘flirting’, they are going to need it.”

For once, Thomas felt himself getting frustrated. But, no matter. Two could play at that game, but Thomas knew he was better. “What’s the matter, Laf? Got your panties in a twist because someone else is getting the attention for once? Looking at you, you probably knew that your brother would steal the spotlight.” Thomas had a talent for knowing exactly how to tear someone down. “I can tell you feel threatened by the way you’re going around in that skirt, showing off your legs like some two bit whore.” He glanced at Laf’s increasingly distressed face. “I bet you put out on the first date. No wonder Mulligan worked to beat me to you. We all know you’re an easy fuck.” He got up and went to the teacher’s desk, getting a pass and leaving to the bathroom. This was an intricate plan and this wasn’t even the most fun part. In order to get to the core of his plan, he needed to cause a disturbance between the rest.

Lafayette felt his heart drop and felt his whole body shake, emotions flashing through him. The most prominent one, though, was anger. He was angry at Thomas for saying that about him, he was angry at him for accusing Hercules of such a repulsive thing. But he was also mad at himself. Because Thomas was right. The same night that Hercules had asked him out, Lafayette had 'put out’ as Jefferson had put it.

As soon as the bell rang, Lafayette went to the bathroom, glad to see that Jefferson wasn’t there, and locked himself in a stall, bawling his eyes out. He had his own reservations with sex when it came to anyone he didn’t love and trust as much as Hercules, but Jefferson’s words hit him hard. He didn’t even realize that a few minutes had passed until someone came into the bathroom, calling his name.

“Laf?.. Is that you?”

Laf got up and got out of the stall, looking at John as he stood there, his eyes red and puffy from crying.

“Oh, Laf… What happened?..”

He didn’t answer, but let himself fall into John’s open arms and cried on his shoulder, not caring how awkward it was with the height difference.

John let him cry for a minute before looking at him. “I need a name.”

“Jefferson..” he sniffled. “He said I was a whore and guessed that Herc and I had sex early in our relationship. He said I’m easy..”

John frowned and looked at Lafayette sternly. “Listen to me, you are not easy, do you understand me? You love Hercules and Herc loves you and you know it. He just wants to get under your skin because he’s just mad that someone as beautiful as you rejected him, but you won’t let that happen because you’re a strong man, do you understand me?”

“Yes sir.” Lafayette nodded and stood up straight up, wiping his eyes and fixing his hair.

“That’s my boy.” John smiled and walked with him to the cafeteria.

Alexander looked down at his untouched sandwich. John was late. John was never late.

“Are you going to eat that or set it on fire?” Hercules joked, surprised when Alexander actually pushed the sandwich in his direction. He shook his head and pushed it back.

“Look who I found.” John and Laf sat with their boyfriends.

Alexander’s eyes lit up and he scooted a bit closer to John, though nobody could deny that something seemed off there. Lafayette’s eyes were still a bit puffy and his eyes a bit pink. He bit his tongue. He hadn’t seen Lafayette cry in years.


	15. Chapter 15

“Hey..” Hercules began softly. Of course he’d also noticed the change. “How’s my perfect baby doing? Besides being gorgeous and stunning the audience?”

As Hercules continued with his sweet nothings, Alexander shuddered, feeling Jefferson’s eyes boring into the back of his head.

John glanced back and glared at him, then kissed Alexander, regretting it as he felt him flinch.

Alexander didn’t mean to. He wanted the affection and needed the kiss, it was just too much.

“Sorry..” John kissed his forehead and felt Alexander relax. Better. “Jefferson’s trying to rile us all up. You guys shouldn’t fall for it. Don’t let him bother you. He just wants a reaction.”

Alexander opened his mouth to argue, then stopped. John was right, wasn’t he? After all, the mere mention of Jefferson’s name was enough to make him punch John in the face, the bruise luckily fading. But the fact that he did this to Lafayette made his blood boil.

And Hercules? He would put him in the ground if he got the chance. He wrapped his arm defensively around Lafayette’s waist and pulled him closer, trying to make him feel better. “You know… I’ve been drawing up some outfit ideas for Rosie during my classes.. Maybe I can sew some up sometime and try to dress her up, if she’s not as feisty as the guy that owns her.”

Lafayette smiled weakly and moved Herc’s hand up to his shoulder. He’d normally love the affection, but after what Jefferson said… “Sorry… That does sound like a nice idea, though..” He took a deep breath. “Jefferson called me a whore.. And I made the mistake of taking it to heart. But John’s right. He’s just trying to get under my skin. I don’t want you guys facing him for me.”

Hercules frowned, his heart full of guilt. Yes, Thomas was the one who did this to him, but he didn’t make it any better with his actions. That was the last thing Lafayette needed. “I’m sorry, Laf… Ignore him. Trust me, you’re far from-”

“Is that all you’re going to say?” Alexander snapped, finally tipping over the edge.

Hercules ignored him. This wasn’t the time. “As I was saying, you’re not a-”

“Hey, Jerkules!” Alexander put his hands on the table and stood up, leaning towards Herc. “That’s my brother you’re talking to, your boyfriend! Fucking Thomas Jefferson insults him into crying and all you can do is sit there and yammer?”

Hercules glared back at Alexander. “And what do you suppose I do? Do you honestly think that starting some shit with Jefferson is really the way to go right now?”

“You’re such a fucking coward! It took you ten years to even ask him out and now that you’re dating, you can’t get off your fat ass and stand up for him?”

“Alex-” John began, only for Hercules to cut him off, standing up just like Alexander.

“How about I put a fist in your jaw and save everyone the misery of listening to your pathetic whining? You’re always thinking about yourself! You never think before you act or speak. Why don’t you go over there and try to fight Jefferson, if you think that’s such a great idea? Maybe he’ll put you in your place before I reach over the table and do it myself.”

Alexander’s expression softened, his eyes filling with shock and a hint of fear. He hadn’t expected Hercules to retaliate. He sat back down, shrinking down. Was Hercules really that close to hurting him?

Of course not. He just wanted to shut Alex up. But that wasn’t the way and he knew it. Lafayette and John certainly weren’t happy. That alone was enough to get him to shrink back into his seat as well.

Lafayette sighed and rubbed his face. “Where do I begin with you two?.. First off, Alexander, John specifically warned you both against starting a fight with Jefferson and for good reason. I know you can’t control your anger sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you have to direct it at Herc, okay? And I don’t need him to stand up for me. I can stand up for myself. As for you,” he turned to Hercules, his disapproving look burning into his skin, “never threaten my brother again. You know very well that he can’t control his outbursts. I know it’s frustrating, I was his victim for years,” Alexander shrunk down a bit more at that, “but I never dreamed of threatening him. And for you to do it… He’s half your size and can’t control his anger. You should know better.” He looked at John, letting him have a turn.

“Laf couldn’t have said it better. I know Jefferson. He’s just trying to get under our skin and you’re letting him, Alexander. I know it’s hard and Herc should not have threatened you, but you have to try harder. And Herc, come on. Threatening someone his size? He ruined a commission painting and I didn’t even sink to that. I can’t imagine what he’s said to you, but are you really okay with threatening him like that? We’re trying to shake Jefferson off, not stoop to his level.”

Alexander stayed silent as John finished speaking, his entire body rigid. Every word felt like a stab in the back and he was not going down without a fight. He didn’t care that Hercules was scolded as well. In his mind, he was just being a coward, Lafayette was getting back at him for being an awful brother and John… Any other time, he trusted John wholeheartedly, but, in that moment, he couldn’t have felt anymore distant from him.

Hercules had a far different reaction. He knew what he said was stupid and he’d acted like a child. John and Laf, as much as their words stung, were right. Thomas was just a manipulative bully and he wasn’t doing anyone any favors by playing into his games. “I’m sorry.. I feel like an idiot.” He sighed and looked up at Alexander, holding out his hand in an attempt at peace. “Hey, buddy, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any of that. Why don’t we just-” He was cut off by a loud smack, frowning as he pulled his hand away.

Alexander stood up and glared at him before throwing his backpack over his shoulder and storming off.

“Well… There it is. He hates me,” Hercules frowned, rubbing the back of his hand. Alexander really didn’t hold back.

“No.. I’m sure he doesn’t. It’s just… He…” Lafayette knew there was no explaining anyone out of this. “I’m sorry…”

John got up and left, going after him.

“He doesn’t hate you..” Lafayette began again, holding Herc’s hand. “He yelled at us all, even John.”

Hercules sighed and kissed his hand. Lafayette shouldn’t have been stressing over this. “Don’t apologize. This isn’t your fault, it’s mine. I shouldn’t have said any of that, but… I’m sorry… I’m so tired of being his punching bag. He’s opened up to you and John, but me?.. I’m just that guy who’s dating his brother who he insults.” He looked up at Lafayette. “But I’d never lay a finger on him. I didn’t mean any of it.”

Lafayette rested his hand on Herc’s cheek. “Listen to me. He does not hate you. He used to treat me the exact same way. We’re all stressed over Jefferson right now and with his mood disorder, he couldn’t control himself, but he doesn’t hate you. You two have a connection, don’t you remember? Back at the gym where you helped him lift weights and box with John? Are you going to tell me that was nothing?”

Laf was right and Hercules knew it. He nodded and pulled him into a hug. “I just hope I haven’t messed things up permanently after that… Alexander’s so lucky. He has the best brother in the world and we both know John would follow him to the ends of the earth.”

John, who was searching the halls for Alexander, not caring that he very well could hurt him emotionally if given the chance. When he finally found him, attempting to break into one of his classrooms just to have somewhere to hide, he put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey… I’m sorry about earlier, but all we said was the truth and sometimes, the truth hurts.. Please come back..”

“You never stand up for me.” That was far from true, but in Alexander’s mind, it was nothing but. He kept trying to pull the locked door open, his hands slipping and hitting his hips instead. “Ow..” He tutted and kicked the door, frustrated.

John sighed and pulled him away before he could hurt himself again. “Stop that. That door is locked and it’s staying locked for the next fifteen minutes. And you know I stand up for you, but this time, you were in the wrong. I’m sorry I hurt you, though..” He pulled Alexander close and attempted to kiss his cheek before being shoved off, Alexander’s actions void of affection.

“Stop that! You don’t get to do that! You can’t just let Herc threaten me, then try to kiss and hold me! By that logic, you might as well let Jefferson do the same.” He would’ve been lying if he said that the only reason he said that was the fact that Jefferson’s attempts at flirtation weren’t still on his mind. He took another step away from John, his hand back on the doorknob. “Look I don’t want to hurt you or say anything I’ll regret, so just.. Just go.”

“I did not just let Herc get away with threatening you. You know I didn’t, even if you don’t want to.” He moved Alexander away from the door and stood in his way. “And I don’t care what you say to me. If I cared about getting my feelings hurt, I wouldn’t be here.”

The way Alexander saw things, John was the only thing stopping him from getting into that classroom, into somewhere safe and alone. “Why can’t you just piss off? I know your family already taught you how.” That split second of hurt in John’s eyes was enough to shut Alexander down a bit. “I didn’t mean to… I don’t want to- I can’t- Damn it!” He began pacing in frustration, clutching his head. “Why the hell did you make me care about you?! I was some asshole who wrecked your painting! You could’ve just shoved me or hit me or kicked me or something and I would’ve been out of your hair! I wouldn’t have fallen head over heels for you and the world would make sense! But now, everything is confusing, fighting hurts and everything I say feels so guilt ridden, I don’t know how the hell to defend myself anymore.” He stopped and glared at John, his expression softening as he continued. “/YOU/ broke down my walls and now I’m all fucked up and confused and you still won’t let me stop loving you! So please; I’m asking- no, BEGGING you; piss off! I don’t want you right now and I don’t want to make you not want me!”

“Alexander. Calm down. No matter what you say, I’m not going to not want you. You haven’t done anything and there’s nothing you can say to me to make me not want you. You’d think you would know that by now considering that you did say it was no wonder that my parents didn’t want me. And what did I do when you said that? I chased you, just like I’m doing now. I’ve been hurt plenty of times in this life. I don’t care anymore. What I do care about is you not getting yourself hurt. And I did shove you away that day. You wrecked my painting, my source of income, and I shoved you to the ground. You were the one who came back for more, don’t forget that. I am not the only one at fault here. God, you think you’re the only victim here? I’ve never fallen in love like this before. And now I’m in love and I completely trust a guy who’s got my heart in his hands and can squeeze it all he wants, but can’t seem to kill me feelings? Yeah, I’m pretty damn terrified about all of the power you don’t even know you hold over me. So, no, I’m not letting you stop loving me. If I’m in this, you’re in this too and neither you nor I can deny that we love this, even when it hurts like now. And I’m NOT going to piss off because you can’t say anything to make me stop loving you and I’m scared that Jefferson is just waiting around a corner to steal you from me or, worse, hurt you. I’m not taking that chance.”

With every word, Alexander found himself taking steps backwards, his heart pounding against his rib cage. He knew that he couldn’t argue. He knew that John was right. Even sitting there, screaming at each other, there was nobody that Alexander would rather be around. That’s why he had to make him leave. “If you loved me you’d go…” It was childish, but Alexander was not going to risk losing John forever. “If you don’t go, I’ll stop eating. I’ll stop taking my medicine. I’ll stop biting my tongue and I won’t talk to you anymore.” It hurt that that was what he had to resort to, but he had to get John away. He couldn’t hurt him again.

Maybe those accusations couldn’t get rid of John, but those threats sure as hell would. “Okay… I’m sorry… If Jefferson tries to hurt you or you need me, please tell me.” He stepped forward to hug Alexander, then thought against it and left.

As John finally disappeared around the corner, Alexander let himself relax a bit. He couldn’t hurt him anymore. But, on the other hand, he could see John take some of his trust back as he left. He sighed and tried the doorknob again. Still locked. This time, Alexander sighed and sat down, his back against the door and his head leaning back against it. He looked at the wall across the hall and read over some of the flyers there. Most of them, his eyes just skipped over, but… Political debate society? His eyes lingered over that one a bit longer. At least there, he’d be allowed to argue all he needed… Though he doubted his tendency to make everything personal would be appreciated. He took off his backpack and reached in it for his notebook to write that down… Wait… Oh, no…

Alexander practically tore open his backpack, only for his worst fears to be confirmed. His old, water damaged notebook was gone. His notebook, full of his venting and personal writings, gone. in the wrong hands, this could lead to humiliation or worse. He frantically zipped up his bag and go up, running back to his last class and trying to open the door. Once again, it was locked, but at least someone came out and answered this time.

“Alexander? Can I help you?”

“Yes! Um.. Have you seen an old notebook in here? Kind of shoddy and old?” he asked, bouncing on his heels as he spoke and looking as anxious as he felt.

Mr Adams thought for a second and shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. Sorry. But, you know, you should find something tidier to keep your notes in. That one you have is-”

“No! It’s.. Sorry.” Alexander cut himself off. He knew there’d be consequences if he blew up at a teacher again and he could not be suspended again. “… Sorry. It’s just important to me.”

Adams frowned and nodded. “I understand. If I see it, I’ll let you know.” The end of lunch bell rang. “You should head off to class now.”

Alexander nodded and left, thoughts once again racing through his head. They didn’t stop when he got to class, either, keeping him distracted. Thoughts of his missing notebook dominated the flashing thoughts, ideas of possible consequences haunting him. He couldn’t think of anyway to get it back either. He really wished he hadn’t forced John away now..

Wait. John. John, who specifically said to tell him if he needed anything. And he needed help. He pulled out his phone and texted John, hiding his phone from Eacker as he walked around the front of the room, far more active in his teaching than Adams. [Help]

John was in the library, having asked to leave the room. He needed somewhere quiet. No, he needed to be somewhere quiet. He looked down at his arm. Still shaking. He checked his phone as it vibrated, jumping in his seat. Alexander sent a few more messages, easing John’s stupid anxiety a bit. [notebook gone] [pls hlp, im scared]

“Alex? Is there something interesting you would like to share with the class?”

Alexander felt his face go red and heard a few people snicker as he was called out. “I was just… looking up the debate society.”

“Really? If you’re interested, I can sign you up.”

Well, he couldn’t turn it down now. “Sure.” He glanced down at his phone while Eacker’s back was turned to see John’s reply. [On it.]

John put his things away to leave the library, but it seemed that it wasn’t necessary. The answer fell right onto his table. He looked up at the person who did it and smiled. “Maria? How did you get this?”

Maria Lewis. Besides Lafayette and Hercules, she was his closest friend. “How did you get a boyfriend and not tell me?”

He chuckled. “It hasn’t even been a week.”

She nodded. “You’re moving kind of fast, then, aren’t you?..”

“Did you read it?”

“Yeah… But just what had your name in it. He really likes you. Are you going to be okay?..”

She was also his second mom friend, having more than enough reason to worry about him. “I’m going to be fine. He respects my boundaries.”

“I hope he does, for your sake.” She kissed his cheek. “I’m going to go ahead and go home, okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll see you later.” He waved at her as she left and got his phone back out. [I have your notebook.] He bit his lip. He knew this would be pushing it. [Do you want to hang out at my place later?]

Alexander could’ve sworn he felt his lungs deflating as he sighed in relief. He didn’t know where or how John got his notebook, but that didn’t matter. [Thx] [nd no] At that point, he was just being stubborn. But the way he saw it, things would’ve been so much easier if he just stayed out of everyone’s way. Once the final bell rang, Alexander waited outside of the classroom for John to appear.

“So, you like the taste of drunk John, don’t you?”


	16. Chapter 16

Alexander froze, his eyes widening as he looked up.

“What was it again? ‘I hate the taste of beer, but on John, it’s like heaven is dancing on his tongue?’”

“You… You read my..”

“You know, you really should be careful with where you leave that thing. You’re lucky I found it where Maria could find it and give it to John before someone else got their hands on it. But, you know,” he leaned down to be eye level with Alexander, more threatening than condescending, “that’s something we have in common. We both know what a talented kisser Johnny is.”

Alexander’s humiliation began to burn into fury. What good did Jefferson find in lying like that? He had to be lying. Didn’t he?.. “Lucky for you, I got rid of his sorry ass. But, if you want to know who taught him all of his skills, call me.” He pressed a sticky note to his forehead with his number, just as he had to Lafayette. “John is great, believe me, but maybe you should let a pro teach you a few things.”

Alexander took the sticky note off of his forehead, staring at it in shock for a few seconds before turning to Thomas, watching him walk away. “Wait.” Thomas turned back. “How.. How much did you read?”

Thomas grinned. “Aw, Lexi. Well, the only thing wrong with you and sex is the fact that you haven’t had it. But, no worries. John should take care of that, right?” He walked away, leaving Alexander in shock.

This had to be some sort of sick joke. He pulled out his phone and dialed John’s number, stammering as he answered. “I.. J-Jefferson.. Y-You.. D-Did..” He broke down and whined.

John, who had already been walking in hat direction, began walking faster as he listened to Alexander. “Hang tight. I’m going to be right there.” He stayed on the phone as he fought the crowd, putting it down once he reached his distressed boyfriend. “I’m here.. What happened? What’s wrong?” He put the notebook in front of him as he crouched down, keeping himself from touching Alexander this time.

Had Jefferson not confronted Alexander, he probably would’ve just let everything bubble inside as usual and locked himself in at home. But even he knew that wouldn’t be smart. “I was going to tell you sooner, but.. Lunch happened and Laf needed the attention, so I just put it away.” He took a deep breath. “Jefferson’s been flirting with me all day. He’s been…. He was acting funny in the morning, then he gave me a note and asked me to lunch. I thought it was for Laf, but he corrected me and I just ignored him. Then he tricked me into signing up for the school play and Laf took me place- I feel so awful for him… And now he just won’t stop staring.. You saw it.. I feel his eyes just boring into me everywhere I go.” He whined for a second, then stopped and continued. “Then lunch.. Laf needed help and Herc wouldn’t help him and I couldn’t take it and I just snapped…” He wiped a few tears away from his eyes, sniffling. “And you got mad and Laf got mad and I wanted to talk to you, but I couldn’t. I was so angry. Then I got scared because of my notebook and Jefferson just came and… And.. Damn it! Why did you kiss Jefferson?”

John frowned as he listened to Alexander’s rant. “I’m sorry… I wish you would’ve told me, but I understand..” He took the sticky note from him and ripped it up, throwing it in a nearby trashcan. “About what Jefferson told you.. I don’t want to say it here.. Just let me tell you at your house. All I’m asking is that and that you let me say what I need to say.”

Alexander nodded and pushed himself to his feet, wiping his eyes again. “Jefferson read my notebook.. He said that the only thing wrong with… with me and s-sex is that I haven’t had it yet and that you.. you would change that, but I don’t want to change that… I just want to go home… I want Laf.. I want my mom…” Alexander whimpered, not feeling much bigger than a toddler.

John hugged him close, rubbing his back. “He’s wrong. I won’t make you do anything, okay? I’ll just take you home and explain everything there, then I’ll leave. I promise.” He took Alexander’s arms and moved him behind him, helping him hop onto his back. He carried him home, his heart breaking with each whimper that he made. Once they got there, John carried him up to his bedroom and put him down on his bed, sitting across from him.

Alexander already missed John’s touch, but wanted to reject it at the same time, feeling betrayed. He hadn’t caught onto the fact that whatever happened between John and Jefferson was not recent and the fact that he hadn’t denied anything and was taking all of these measures only confirmed his worst fears. “T-Talk..” He just wanted this to be over.

John nodded and took a deep breath. “Okay… This was just last year. Jefferson had just moved here from France, but I could still tell he was from the south by his accent. I was just coming to terms with the fact that I was gay too and he wasn’t shy about flirting with me… So, I got close to him. I didn’t tell Laf or Herc, though. They don’t know anything about this.” He paused for a second. “And… We started hanging out at his place once I told him that I was kind of interested in him and he started kissing my face and sometimes my neck and I didn’t know how to feel about it, but I let him. I trusted him. He even stole my first kiss…” He paused before continuing. “And then.. one day, a Friday, he was kissing me more intensely than usual and he pinned me down and tried to take off my pants and he wouldn’t stop and I got my hand free and punched him.” He didn’t even realize how his nails were digging into his skin, blood beginning to flow down his arms. “I ran home. My dad found out about him and, next thing I know, I was out on my own. Now, here we are,” he choked out.

Alexander’s previous irritation faded into nothing, replaced by a deep concern and and embedded anger against Jefferson. How dare he do such a thing to John? His eyes widened as blood flowed from John’s arms, though the other didn’t seem to notice. He grabbed some tissues and pressed them to his arms, beginning to panic. John was great at handling these situations and taking care of Alexander, but it had never been the other way around like that. “Hey… Hey, it’s okay. I’m not mad at you, I promise.” He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “I’m going to clean your arms, okay?.. Then, if you’ll let me, I can kiss them better. We can cuddle and talk… I could do the talking.” He continued to clean John’s arms, hoping that they would stop bleeding, but that wasn’t quite happening. It was strange. John’s nails were pretty short. He didn’t know how they could’ve cut so deeply. He tossed the bloodied tissues into a trash bin and sighed as the bleeding finally slowed. It wasn’t a threatening amount of blood loss, but it was scary… “I’m not going to make you hold me or anything, but you can if you want. I’ve been told I give great hugs..” He smiled softly, jumping a bit as John seemed to spring back to life.

“No. No, I promised I would just tell you and go home.” He got up, felling himself shaking. He didn’t want Alexander to see him like this. Too many thoughts. Too much energy. Too much anxiety. “Text me later if you want, but I have to go.” He kissed his cheek. “Don’t forget to take your medicine.” He walked out of the room and left the house before Alexander or his parents got a chance to see him leave.

“Wait!” Alexander called after him, but he was too fast. He heard the front door open and close before he even made it out of the room. He ran to his window and saw John walking, his hands clutched to his hoodie as he tried to stop shaking. “Hey! I love you, John Laurens!”

John glanced back for a second, but ultimately ended up just walking off.

Alexander sighed, his face sinking into a frown, and made his way downstairs. He wanted to talk to Laf more than anything, but he wasn’t home yet. And he highly doubted he would be welcome after his episode. But he needed to talk to someone. And he needed a witness. So, he sat at the kitchen counter, watching Martha hum happily as she finished up some work.

“Did you need something?” she asked him, smiling as he nodded in reply.

“I promise John I would take my medicine. Can you text him for me so he knows that I did?”

“Yeah, of course.” She watched as Alexander opened the bottle that he’d brought down with him and let a capsule fall into his hand, eyeing it warily before knocking it back with some water. She got her phone and texted “son #3” [Alexander told me to let you know that he took his medicine]

John’s reply came fairly quickly. He needed a distraction. Something, anything. [Thank you :) Sorry for leaving so suddenly]

[It’s okay] [Thank you for taking care of Alexander]

[My pleasure]

Alexander rested his head on the counter, prompting Martha to put her phone down. “Today really sucked…”

“How so?”

He glanced up at her, thinking for a second. He hadn’t considered opening up to Martha before.

“I don’t have to tell George if you don’t want me to.”

“Thank you…” He began telling her about his day, leaving out the incidents with John and blowing up at his friends, mainly focusing on Jefferson being a bully. He kept it vague, but enough for her to give him some advice. Martha was great at helping him. She wasn’t his mom, they both she would never be, but they did begin to feel a bit closer.

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to come over?..” Hercules asked as they pulled up at the house. After all, they hadn’t seen Alex or John since lunch. There was no telling what was up.

“I don’t know… I hope so, though. Maybe being with John lifted his spirits a bit.”

Hercules nodded as the pair walked up to Laf’s room. “I hope you’re right..” They sat in Laf’s room, letting Rosie join them. “Are you okay?.. I never really got a chance to ask earlier..”

Lafayette nodded, though his attention was on the kitten pawing playfully at his legs. He chuckled and slid down to the floor with her, smoothing his skirt out beneath him. “I’m fine. I talked with John before I went to the table and he’s right. Jefferson’s wrong and was just trying to get a rise out of me.”

Hercules felt his heart inflating. It was hard to stay worried when his boyfriend, after reassuring him, sat and played with a kitten. He slid down with him and scratched between Rosie’s ears, making her purr. “You’re right.. He’s just mad that someone as gorgeous as you won’t return his feelings or whatever he has.” He chuckled.

“Please don’t even mention it… He’s such a creep. He told me he was after Alexander now. I’m worried about him after Saturday..”

Hercules frowned a bit. “I’m worried about him too… But he can’t do much as long as we keep Alexander near us.”

Little Rosie was unaffected by the heavy topic, leaping around playfully as the pair tried to pet her and making the other two smile.

“She just won’t hold still today,” Lafayette said as he tried to pet her, being met with tiny bites on his fingers. “Ow,” he chuckled. “I think she just misses us. We haven’t seen her since yesterday.” He booped her tiny nose, making her sneeze.

Hercules reached for her, trying to pet her, but she dashed off, wiggling her way out through the door. “I’ll get her.” He got up and went after her… Only to find her just outside of the door, Alexander holding her.

Alexander looked up for a split second before his eyes darted back down, away from Herc.

It broke his heart. Had he really scared him that badly?..

“… Can I come sit with you guys?.. John went home..”

Lafayette waved him in from inside. “Come in. We were just playing with Rosie. She’s so hyper today.”

Alexander let Rosie jump out of his hands and followed her back to Lafayette, sitting beside him as his phone vibrated. He hid his excitement as he saw that John had texted him.

[Hey, sorry for going so soon. I didn’t want you to see me so wound up. I understand if you’re mad.] [I love you so much.]

[Im not mad, jus tired] [I luv u 2, even wit all the dum shit i say n do, i luv u so much]

“I’m sorry about lunch, Alex… I didn’t mean it..”

“Me too…”

Hercules smiled, taking it as a full apology.

“Can I… Can I talk to you guys about something?..”

“Of course,” Lafayette nodded. He didn’t know why he couldn’t tell John, but he wasn’t going to ask. His brother needed to talk.

“Thank you…” Alexander took a deep breath. “Jefferson read some really personal stuff in my journal and came up to me about it.. He it’s wrong that I haven’t done it yet and that John was going to change that and that he kissed John before and that I should go to him if I wanted to learn to do it properly and John was going to fix me by making me do it with him and-”

“Alex.” Hercules interrupted him, his face half horrified and half concerned as he opened his arms for him.

Alexander didn’t hesitate to lean forward into Herc’s embrace, whimpering as Hercules hushed him.

“Hey.. Jefferson isn’t going to make you do anything. Laf and I will be there to help you tomorrow.”

“If he tries, I’ll kick his-”

“Hey, Laf?” Martha called from the open door. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

He nodded and got up, following her out to the hallway. After a minute, he came back and sat beside them again. “She just wanted to make sure I was okay after what Jefferson did to me today.”

Alexander nodded. “Sorry for telling her..”

“It’s fine.” He smiled.

Alexander smiled back weakly and thought. The next day, he was going to have his friends there protecting him… Except for during that first period.

“Hey, Alex?.. What do you mean Jefferson kissed John?..” Hercules asked.

He froze up. He promised he wouldn’t tell.


	17. Chapter 17

“Did Jefferson attack him?”

“No.. Not exactly..”

“Then what happened?”

“He told me not to tell..”

“Not to tell what? Did something happen between them?” Hercules pressed, getting as worried as he should’ve been.

“You can’t tell him! I’ll tell you if you promise not to tell him I told. He’d never forgive me…”

“Alex,” Lafayette began, putting a hand on his arm to try and calm him. “what happened to John?.. We just want to know that he’s safe..” John was more secretive than what was good for him, that much was clear. “If it’s best for John, we will have to get involved, but we can’t know unless you tell us. Is John okay?”

“I… I don’t know..” He took a deep breath and told them everything. John dated Thomas. Thomas pretty much assaulted him. John was kicked out. John was living alone. “But he’s supporting himself with his art. He has a good apartment near the school.”

Lafayette sighed, exasperated. What kind of friend didn’t know this? He could’ve been helping John. He was horrified by the idea of John going through all that alone. “That’s why he has to skip tomorrow… He can’t see his siblings…” He looked back up at Alexander. “What else happened?..”

Alexander shook his head. “I’ve already said so much..”

“I know, but we just want to make sure that John is okay. We want to help him as we can.”

He bit his lip, then let it just fall out. “I think John cuts.. I didn’t see the scars, but he dug his nails into his arm and he didn’t even flinch.. It was like he didn’t notice.. And there was too much blood to be normal.” The rest, his fears of intimacy, his boxing to let out his aggression, his reliance on art and his horrible father, he assumed they knew.

“Alex… This is serious. We have to tell George and Martha, for his sake.”

“Noo…” Alexander whined as he leaned forward into Lafayette’s chest. He was so much softer. “You can’t tell him I told you… He’ll never trust me again..”

“This isn’t about trust,” Herc told him. “It’s about making sure John is safe.”

“Exactly.. I don’t want to ruin his day tomorrow, though.. So Wednesday.” He hugged Alexander close. “You did nothing wrong, okay? You were so brave to tell us all of this and John is going to be safer because of this. He loves you. He will not get mad at you.” That much, he was sure of.

Alexander whimpered and clung to his chest. He knew there was no arguing. He knew that John needed to talk to someone about this, but this wasn’t how he wanted it to happen. On the other hand… John was never going to trust him again. And what was a relationship without trust? And to top it off, Alexander would have to pretend that all was well until Wednesday. “What do I do now?..”

“Keep John’s spirits up. Let him keep yours up. Be strong.” Lafayette kissed the top of his head.

“I feel sick… I’m going to go lay down.” He got up and left, texting John. [u luv me, rit? No matr wat?]

As Alexander left, Hercules leaned against the bed, holding his temples. “I did not expect that…”

“Me neither.. John isn’t going to like this, the fact that we’re involved. You know him..” John always had been secretive.

“Like it or not, it’s for the best..” Hercules got up and sat on the bed with Lafayette, scooping up Rosie and letting her sit with them now that she calmed down some. “He would do the same for us.”

Lafayette smiled at that, playing with Rosie’s paws. “You’re right..” He remembered when he first came to America and stupid kids would make fun of him. John would always help him out, violently or otherwise.

The pair talked until they figured it was best to get some sleep, falling asleep in Laf’s bed with their daughter resting in the warmth of the crook of Lafayette’s neck.

By the time John responded, minutes later, he had finally gotten rid of most of his anxiety. [Of course I do, I’d love you no matter what.] [What happened?]

[youl find out l8r] Alexander felt terrible, but he wasn’t going to make John worry and ruin his time with his family. [m sry]

[Please tell me. I won’t get mad, I promise.] [Do you want me to come over so we can talk about this?]

“No..” This wasn’t good. John couldn’t find out yet. [No, im sry.. i cnt tell yet]

John frowned. He wanted to see Alexander, just as much as Alexander wanted to see him. [Okay.]

Well… What was the worst that can happen? Alexander gathered his stuff and left, not bothering to tell anyone where he was going. He doubted anyone would actually let him go. All he wanted was to see John. And, once he got outside, a thicker jacket. The cold, early February wind was freezing, but Alexander braved it out until he got to John’s apartment, texting him. [pls opn up its frzng]

John didn’t ask any questions, opening the door and gasping when he saw Alexander freezing. “Come here..” He pulled him inside and closed the door behind him, leading him to the couch and sitting him down. “Why weren’t you wearing a thicker coat? It’s freezing out there.” He took his coat and gave him a blanket, then went to the kitchen and made some hot chocolate, sitting with Alexander and giving him a cup.

Alexander was more than glad to be receiving his affections, though it was hard for him to believe he deserved them.

He took a sip and looked up at John, watching how his eyes darted and how his leg bounced up and down to the point where his own hot chocolate almost spilled from his mug. “Are you okay?.. I’m not mad at you, I promise.”

“What?..” It took John a few seconds to realize what he meant. “Oh. Yeah, I’m fine. I think I’m just having an anxiety attack. I’ve been like this for hours.”

“That doesn’t sound good..” Alexander muttered.

“I know, but I’m used to it. I promise I’ll be fine.” He smiled reassuringly.

“Okay..” He nodded a bit, then changed the subject. “Nobody knows I’m here. I highly doubt they’d let me over after everything that happened today, but I really wanted to see you.”

“That’s fine. I won’t tell anyone.” He cupped Alexander’s cheek, having missed his company. “Do you want anything? Are you hungry?”

If Alexander was being honest with himself, he was. All he’d had that day was his breakfast that morning, but he didn’t think he’d deserved it after how he’d acted that day, so he shook his head, leaning into John’s touch. “No, I’m fine.” He sighed and wrapped his arms around John’s waist. “I’ve been a shitty boyfriend.. I don’t appreciate you enough and I’ve been awful to you.. But I still love you. A lot. If you can’t trust anything else I say, trust that..”

John was confused by Alexander’s choice of words, but didn’t question him, having the feeling that he didn’t need that. “I love you too. I don’t know what you mean, but I love you too.” He tilted Alexander’s head up and kissed him softly.

Alexander fought back a whine and pulled himself closer than usual to John. It wasn’t meant to be hot or exciting, but longing and needed. Alexander needed John. That was part of the reason he was so terrified of what was to come, the other part being that the last thing he wanted was to hurt John.

“Let’s go to bed, okay?.. It’s getting late.” He kissed his forehead and carried him to bed, putting him down and kissing his cheek. He gave him a change of clothes and one for himself. “Get changed, okay? I’ll go change in the bathroom.”

Alexander nodded and changed into John’s clothes once he left. Of course, they were baggy on him, but that didn’t matter. They were warm and comfortable and they smelled like soap and pine and vanilla… like John. When he came back, Alexander didn’t hesitate to lay down beside him, wrapping his arms around his waist and burying his face in his chest. It would’ve taken a war to make him let go.

John felt his desperation and wished for little more than to know what caused it and find a way to help, but things weren’t that simple. He knew that. He kissed the top of his head and sighed. “I love you… No matter what you did, I promise I’ll love you.”

“I love you too…”

“Go to sleep..” He kissed his forehead and waited for him to calm down and finally begin to rest before he did the same thing, falling asleep.

Alexander did the same eventually, sleeping restlessly as the guilt ate at him.

When John’s alarm clock blared the next morning, Alexander jumped up, holding John tighter as the other shut it off. Did it have to be so loud?.. He sighed. Today was going to be awful. No John, being alone with Jefferson of all people first period, not even having his backpack with him. Of course, e could always text Lafa- He forgot to text Laf! He got up and grabbed his phone, frantically texting his brother.

Lafayette had been sleeping peacefully at the time, Hercules’s arms wrapped around him and their kitten purring between his back and Herc’s chest, where it was the warmest, when Alexander’s spam texts woke him up.

Hercules had already been awake for a minute, enjoying the last bit of his time relaxing with Laf for now. He tutted as the phone rang and grabbed it for Laf, not wanting him to have to deal with the cold of the outside world just yet.

“Thank you..” Lafayette turned and kissed Herc’s cheek, then checked his phone, reading the messages from Alexander. [LAf] [im ok] [im ta jons] [can u get mt stff] His eyebrows furrowed at the frantic messages and awful spelling, his brain taking a minute to even comprehend it. When it did, he got to his feet and checked both Alexander’s room and John’s guest room surprised to find them both empty. [I didn’t even realize you were gone, I’m sorry.] [Of course I’ll bring your bag.] He went to Alexander’s room and grabbed the bag from beside his bed, shutting the door behind him as he left.

John was already awake as Alexander panicked, in the kitchen making breakfast. He had a bad habit of forgetting to snooze his alarm and he wanted to let Alexander sleep a bit longer. When he heard the commotion, he went over to see what was happening. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Alexander sighed, grabbing his day clothes. “I just forgot to tell Laf I left last night. I’m glad he didn’t freak out.”

“He knows you’re okay here.” He smiled. “I made us some breakfast, whenever you’re ready.”

Alexander nodded and changed once John left, then dragged himself out to the kitchen, replying to Lafayette. [sry 4 not telin]

[It’s okay. Last night was stressful, I understand.]

“Is everything okay? You left so suddenly,” Herc asked as he pulled on his shirt from last night, having already pulled on his jeans.

“Yeah. Alexander left to John’s and I just didn’t know. He’s so quiet.” He grabbed a change of clothes and left to the bathroom to change, Rosie following him out.

Hercules smiled and waited in Lafayette’s room for him to come back, his attention soon turning to the sound of Rosie hissing. That couldn’t be good.

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

**__**

He followed the sound to Alexander’s now open door and looked inside. He didn’t see her at first, but after a few seconds of metal squeaking and clanging, she dashed out past Herc’s feet, chasing some kind of… rat? He hardly had time to react before they dashed back past him, Rosie quickly gaining ground. The next thing he knew, the hissing stopped, a squeak sounding before silence rang in the air. “Laf?..” he called out.

Lafayette hopped over, pulling on his second ankle boot over the hem of his jeans, catching his balance as he stopped. “What is it?” His question was soon answered as Rosie limped out from behind Alexander’s bed, and sat at his feet, licking blood off of her paw. He gasped and scooped her up. “What happened?!”

“She’s not exactly the main concern..”

Lafayette frowned at the implications and walked back to where Rosie came from, gasping at the sight. A dead rat next to a once covered cage. “Oh, god..” He went and gave Rosie to Herc, then knelt down beside the rat, desperately hoping to see some sign of life as he wrapped it up in the old towel that covered the cage. “Alexander’s going to kill me,” he whimpered. “How did she even get in here?!” He was shaking as he gently placed the rat back in the cage. He felt like he was going to be sick. All those years trying to get along with Alexander and, just when he finally began to open up to him, this happens. Lafayette jumped to his feet and left the room, Hercules attempting to calm him down, but it was no use. Lafayette’s brain was short circuiting and he couldn’t focus on much besides trying to find a way to clean the blood stains out of the carpet.

Eventually, Hercules realized it was best to just let Lafayette deal with his feelings and watched over him quietly. Once the blood was clean and Lafayette finally let himself cry, Hercules helped him to his feet and took him back to his room, hugging him tightly. “Tell Alex I let her in. You don’t deserve this kind of stress.”

“Neither do you..” he sniffled. “Lets just go..” He quickly calmed himself down, though Hercules insisted on driving when they got to the car and Lafayette let him, texting Alexander that they’d be waiting for him at the car.

Alexander responded quickly, then returned his attention to John as he ate. “I’m going to miss you..” he muttered, poking at his own breakfast.

“I know… I’m going to miss you too. And I’m going to text you when I can.” He kissed his forehead. “Maybe you can come over after school and meet them.”

“Maybe,” he shrugged, pushing his plate away.

John noticed that he ate a bit less than he had been, but didn’t fuss over it. Alexander was stressed. “Let me just get their presents and we can go.” He kissed his forehead and left to his bedroom, coming back with a backpack before walking out with Alexander.

The walk to the school was fairly quiet and short. When they got there, Alexander turned and hugged John tightly, kissing him lovingly and holding him tighter as he felt him kiss back. When he pulled away, he buried his head into his chest, not wanting to ever let go. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” he repeated for a minute before pulling away.

John kissed his forehead. “You won’t get rid of me so easily, Hamilton,” he muttered against the top of his head. “I’ll see you later.” He kissed him one more time, then turned and walked away.

Alexander frowned and went into the parking lot, looking for Lafayette’s car. When he got there, he was met with two grimacing faces, Hercules asking him to get into the car to talk. “What did I do now?..” he asked as he slid in.

“Nothing. Its just… We didn’t know you had a pet rat.”

Alexander began smiling, clearly harboring a lot of affection for the rodent. “Yeah… His name is Pip. He’s cute, isn’t he? He’s really playful, too. … Why do you know about him?”

“Well… I went into your room to get your backpack-”

“Why didn’t you let Laf do it? He’s family.”

Hercules didn’t take that personally. Alexander was a private person. “sorry, I know. Anyways.. Um-”

“Hercules didn’t get your backpack. I did.” Lafayette had to interrupt. Hercules was feeling guilty and scared over something he didn’t do. “And Rosie got in your room and opened his cage and she.. She.. I’m so sorry… I know I could never make this up to you..”

Alexander went silent, his mind needing time to process what he was hearing. “… You let your cat kill Pip…”

Hercules looked back at him. “Alex, that’s not what-”

“You killed Pip,” Alexander corrected, sounding much more venomous.

“That’s not-”

Alexander ignored him. His focus was on Lafayette as he glared daggers into him. “Do I really bother you that much?! That you’d kill Pip to make me shut it?” He scoffed. “But if I so much as looked at your cat the wrong way, there’d be hell to pay, is that how it is?!” He got out of the car and kept yelling through the open door. “Some brother you are!” He spat as Lafayette began crying. “Oh, go cry to Herc! Maybe he can make you wear another slutty dress again so you can pretend you look good again!”

By that point, Lafayette was sobbing into his hands and Hercules was furious. He got out of the car and grabbed Alexander by his shoulder. “Alexander, how dare you! Do not speak to Lafayette like that! He is your broth-”

“I don’t have one of those,” Alexander spat, yanking himself away. “You can fuck off too! Go take a run and jump! I bet you get off from watching Laf whore around for Jefferson!” In a fit of anger, he slammed his phone into the concrete, smashing it to pieces before storming inside

Hercules wished he could’ve been more offended, but he was used to Alexander’s insults. Instead, he turned back to Lafayette, wishing he knew what to say.

Lafayette took a deep breath and bit back his sobs, getting out of the car. “We have class..”

Hercules frowned, but wrapped his arm around Laf’s waist and walked him to class, both of them silent.

Alexander was close to tears as he sat down, pure anger being the only thing that kept them at bay. He glanced over at John’s empty desk and bit his lip. He regretted smashing his phone. Now there was no way to contact him if he needed to. And he needed to. Soon before the bell rang, someone slipped into the desk, some girl that Alexander had never seen before.

“Hi. I’m Maria Lewis, John’s friend. He asked me to stay with you this period. Is that okay?”

Alexander looked back down at his desk. He wanted to be alone. “I don’t-”

“Is this seat taken?”

“YesJohnLaurensismyboyfriendandhe'sgreatandIlovehim.” Alexander changed his mind as Jefferson sat beside him. John was out, Lafayette killed Pip, and Hercules probably wanted to kill him. Maria was his only hope right now.

“What, you’re not even going to say hi to me?” Jefferson smirked.

“My rat died.” Alexander blurted out, not knowing what else to say. He didn’t know why he would say it, though, Maria only meeting him for the first time and Jefferson looming over him like a cat about to- bad simile.

Not even Thomas knew how to respond. “Oh..”

“My brother… Er… My housemate killed him…”

“… Are you okay?..”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah?”

Alexander began to tremble. “No..”

Thomas smirked. Alexander was in panic mode. This was going to be too easy. He slipped an arm around Alexander’s shoulders and pulled him close. “Shh… It’s okay now. Laf can’t hurt you know.”

Alexander’s eyes went wide and he looked at Maria for help… Before bursting into tears and holding Thomas. He didn’t care anymore. He just needed someone who cared.

Thomas knew that, grinning deviously as he ran a hand over Alex’s hair.

Maria glared and pulled Alexander off, taking him out without a word to the teacher. Even Adams saw that Alexander was suffering. She pulled him to the girl’s bathroom, texting on the way there, and hugged him tightly, letting him cry on her shoulder. “It’s okay.. Everything’s going to be fine, I promise you…”

After about fifteen minutes, John came in and took Alexander from her, hugging him tightly. “I’m so sorry.. Maria told me everything.. I’m so sorry. I should’ve been there for you.”

Alexander didn’t do anything but grab John and hold him somehow even tighter than he had the night before, sobbing into his chest. “They just killed him! H-H-He didn’t-t d-d-dooo anyth-thing wrong!” He was far more broken up than when Donatello had passed. This was a cruel and unprecedented death and Alexander couldn’t stop crying, clinging to John for dear life. “I told them everything.. Herc and Laf, I told them ab-about T-T-Thomas and, and about y-y-your c-cutting and that you, you live alone and you’re not going to trust me anymore.” He couldn’t hold it in anymore. Everything was spilling out. “And-and-and Th-Thomas hugged me and I-I hugged back and I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!” Alexander felt helpless, crushed under his own skin.

John carried him to the sinks and sat him down, even knowing that he wasn’t about to let go anytime soon. “Hey… It’s okay, baby. It’s going to be alright. I’m not mad at you. It was an accident.” He seemed calm about the issue, but the idea of dealing with explaining what he did made him nervous. Everything that happened to him… They weren’t going to be happy. But that didn’t matter then. “I don’t blame you for Thomas, either. He was just taking advantage of you.” He sighed and hugged him closer. “I’m so sorry about Pip..” He let Alexander cry as much as he needed.

Alexander kept sobbing as he clung to John for dear life, not slowing down until he couldn’t cry anymore, then clamming up and feeling faint, looking at John and wanting nothing more than to disappear.

John frowned. “I’m taking you to the nurse to lay down..” He carried him to the nurse’s office and laid him down on a cot, frowning as the nurse took his temperature and found that he had a fever. She called Martha to pick him up, but Martha would be getting another call soon after that.

“… and that’s what happened, sir.” Thomas explained to Adams when he asked about Alexander. The teacher sat behind his desk and rubbed his temples.

“Thank you, Thomas. I’ll be letting his parents know.”

Thomas nodded and walked into the hallway, meeting Hercules right outside of the door.

“What the hell did you do?” he snapped.

“Lexi’s sad about his pet rat,” Thomas pouted. “I just wanted to make sure Adams told his parents just what Lafayette did to him. I guess that sunshine boy facade really is only a cover up,” he shrugged, knowing full well Lafayette would never do such a thing.

Hercules’s glare only intensified. “Why can’t you just leave us alone? And It’s Alex to you.”

“Well, Alex was all torn up this morning. He practically fell into my arms.” He grinned and began walking away. “I doubt his parents are going to let you over when they find out what you guys did. It’ll give Laf from time to realize that he is too good for you.”

Hercules was terrified. What if Jefferson was right?.. No. Lafayette wasn’t like that. He loved him. Right?..

Martha was already in the car to go pick up Alexander when she got the second call. “Martha Washington speaking,” she answered, putting the call on speaker so George could hear.

“Hello there, Mrs. Washington. This is John Adams; your son’s teacher. I’d like to speak to you about Alexander. I’ve had concerns raised to me about his home life.” Adams began to drone. “It seems that he’s had quite the fight with his brother and Hercules Mulligan this morning on his way into school. Thomas Jefferson, a friend of his, informed me that apparently the pair erm… forgive me, for lack of better words, /killed/ his pet rat this morning. Alexander was very upset about this. Maria Reynolds escorted him out of class this morning after Thomas comforted him to manageable state. According to Thomas, Alexander has been the subject of bullying since day one from Hercules Mulligan, whom I will be speaking to later.” Thomas’s lies were endless. “I have my worries about how well he is settling here, madam. And so, of course, I thought it wise to bring these things to your attention.”

Martha was shocked at the accusations. She knew this had to be a lie, especially after hearing about this Thomas Jefferson from Alexander. “Okay.. Thank you.” She let out an exasperated sigh as Adams hung up, driving to the school. “George, this can’t be true. I’ve heard bad things from Alexander about that Jefferson kid. He made Lafayette cry. And you know Laf wouldn’t do that.” The fact that Alexander even had a rat was the least of her worries.

“I know… I believe you. Don’t worry.” He would’ve had to be blind to not see how Alexander had changed.

She sighed and drove to the school. When she got there, she went to the nurse’s office to get Alexander and found John sitting beside him, Alexander holding his hand against his face. She smiled sadly at the sight. “My poor boy..” She ran a hand over Alexander’s hair.

“I’ll help you move him.” John picked him up and carried him out to the car.

“I thought you had a family issue to deal with.”

John nodded. “Yeah, but I was worried about Alexander when my friend Maria called me about him.”

“I see.” She led him outside and opened the car door for him.

John put Alexander in the back and got in with him, letting him lay with his head in his lap and carefully putting his backpack on the floor of the car. It still seemed full, as if he wasn’t with his siblings for that hour.

George looked back and cupped Alexander’s face, trying to see him. He looked pale, his usual argumentative glow replaced with a sad droop. “Alexander, can you speak?..”

Alexander shook his head with a small whimper.

“That’s okay. Take your time.” He let go of Alexander’s face and sat in his seat, clearly having witnessed this more than once before. “Thank you for watching out for him, John.”

“Of course.” He nodded and kept his attention on Alexander, making sure he was as okay as he could be. When they got to the house, George scooped him up. “Do you want to go to your room and lay down?”

Alexander whimpered and shook his head. He didn’t want to go in there with Pip. He wasn’t ready.

“Guest room?” He glanced up at John for a split second and corrected himself. “John’s room?”

Alexander perked up a bit and nodded, so George took him upstairs and put him on John’s bed. Alexander passed out almost immediately, giving him some much needed rest and giving George and Martha some time to clear things up with John.


	19. Chapter 19

“Alex’s teacher called and told us a few things, but we’re not so convinced that its all true. Maybe you can help clear things up,” Martha began.

John nodded. “Of course. Anything.”

“Well, first is the issue of Alexander’s rat.”

“Of course. His name is Pip and Alexander got him from a friend a few months back. He only kept him secret because he was afraid you guys wouldn’t have let him keep him. He’s devastated about his death.”

“Okay.. And for some reason, the teacher who called was under the impression that Lafayette killed him?.. He said he got this information from Thomas Jefferson.”

John scoffed. “Martha, you know Laf. This wasn’t him. It may have been his cat, but not on purpose. And Thomas Jefferson is a bully and a liar.”

“I figured as much,” George nodded. “For some reason, your teacher got the notion that they were friends.”

“Far from it. Jefferson has been picking on Alexander since he moved there.”

“I see. It’s a real shame about what happened this morning. Alex was finally getting along well with Laf. This is the best I’ve seen him.” Martha sighed. “He really seems to be opening up with you, which is a surprise after what happened a few schools ago.. Has he told you about Charles Lee?”

John shook his head.

“Alexander made it to about a week there. We were convinced he’d finally started to settle. He’d made a few friends and Charles seemed to be his closest, but… Well, Alexander told Charles he was bisexual, and Charles practically destroyed him for it.”

George nodded. “I’m sincerely glad those days are over.”

John frowned. “You guys know I’d never dream of hurting him.”

“Of course you wouldn’t. I know you well enough.”

“We both do. He’s lucky to have you.” George smiled, then turned towards the stairs as he heard the light pat of Alexander’s feet. “That boy just can’t sit still,” he chuckled, though his worries peaked as Alexander’s hand appeared on the rail of the stairs. He got up and made his way to the base of the staircase. “Alexander. Bed.”

“I want John,” he whined.

“You’re not well. I’ll send him up for you.”

Alexander grumbled and went back to bed.

George sighed and went back to the others, putting a hand on John’s shoulder. “You’ve been summoned.”

John smiled and got up, going upstairs and beating Alexander to the door. “I’m here, baby, don’t worry.” He scooped Alexander up and carried him back to bed, laying down with him.

Alexander took no coaxing to cling to John, burying his face in his chest again and holding him with a vice grip as he had the night before.

“It sucks that you can’t come with me to see my siblings. I’m sure they’d love you.” He kissed the top of his head.“

"George can take you to see them. You don’t have to be stuck with me all day.”

“I can walk.” He checked the time. “I’ll leave in a few minutes so I can be there by lunchtime, okay?”

Alexander nodded. “Why weren’t you there earlier?.. Your backpack is full.”

“I went to see my mom.. Kind of..”

“What do you mean?..”

John held him a bit closer. “When we first moved here, it was because my dad wanted to run for congress and when he got elected in, some other congressmen found out that we moved here right after she died and wanted to do something special… I suggested planting a tree in her name and I visit it every year…”

Alexander frowned. John was too nice to have gone through so much shit in his life. “I’m sorry..”

“It’s okay.. I just miss her..”

“I know..”

“Can I say something crazy?..”

“Sure.”

John took a deep breath. “When I was there, I got a feeling that something bad was happening and it made me leave. Minutes later, I got Maria’s text. I think my mom told me that you needed me..”

“That’s not crazy. It’s okay.” He looked up at John and wiped his tears, then cupped his cheek. “You know.. You’re beautiful..” He leaned up and kissed him, a privilege he never thought he would get again. The kiss was short, but it left Alexander as out of breath as running a marathon thanks to his sickness. “Even now, you take my breath away,” he joked, then looked back up at John. “I took my medicine…”

“And I will give you a kiss for it when you’re feeling better.” He smiled and kissed his nose.

Alexander smiled. “Alright.. Maria seemed nice. She was cool. When Thomas hugged me, she was quick to save me.”

“That sounds like her. She had boy trouble soon before me and helped me out when Thomas took advantage of me. She kind of put off the whole thing that ended us by calling me to babysit for her.”

“I wish I had been there for you..” Thomas may have been a jerk to Alexander, but at least he hasn’t had to deal with him doing anything alone with him.

“The past is the past..” He kissed his forehead. “I should go..”

Alexander kept himself from frowning, sitting up behind John and hugging him. “You’d better tell them I said happy birthday..”

“I will, don’t worry.” He grabbed his hands and kissed them, then tucked him back into bed and grabbed his bag before leaving.

Alexander stayed for maybe another hour before deciding to go back to his own room. When he did, he found Rosie sitting just outside of his door, licking her paw. She must’ve known Pip was still in there. “Stupid cat..” He picked her up by the scruff of her neck and put her back in Laf’s room, shutting the door. Had she been a person, he would’ve been more angry, but she was just a kitten.

Once he opened his door, he took a deep breath, then went to look at Pip. He found him just as Laf left him, wrapped in a towel in his cage, carefully, not cruelly. He bit his tongue and carefully unwrapped him, feeling sick at the state he was in. Teeth marks on his head and claw marks sunk into his abdomen… Pip never hurt a soul, he must’ve been so scared.

He couldn’t stand to see him after a while. He asked George to take good care of him and he promised to do so, telling him he’d bury him right beside his turtle. 

“Terrapin..” Alexander muttered as they left, staring at Pip’s empty cage for a minute. He covered it just as he had when it was hidden and put it back against the edge of the bed. He decided to distract himself for a while, firing up his Xbox and taking out his anger on the streets of LA in GTA. At least it helped kill time until Lafayette got home after school.

Except Lafayette wasn’t going home right after school. “I have drama practice,” he reminded Herc as he asked why he wasn’t walking out of the school. As stressful as the day had been for him, he had something to take care of. He stopped outside of the drama room before Herc could look inside and see Thomas Jefferson and kissed him goodbye. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He smiled and watched Herc leave, then went into the room, sitting as far away as he could from Thomas.

He didn’t even notice him at first. Having a free period last hour, he was already in the drama room, listening to music and taking notes in his notebook. When he did notice Lafayette, he looked over at him and grinned. “Poor Lexi was in pieces this morning, Laf.”

Lafayette ignored him and got some homework done before Eacker came clambering in with a few boxes of scripts.

“Sorry I’m late. Lots of work to take care of,” he sighed before looking over the titles on each box. “We have a few options here, Romeo and Juliet, Be More Chill, or Heath-”

“Be More Chill.” A few classmates looked back at him as Thomas interrupted the teacher, but he didn’t seem to care. “I want to be the SQUIP.”

Eacker didn’t seem to mind. He smiled back at him. “I take it you’re familiar with the musical?”

He nodded. “Romeo and Juliet has been done a billion times. Besides,” he glanced deviously at Lafayette. “Sometimes its fun to play the villain.”

Lafayette ignored him and raised his hand. “Call me old-fashioned, but I think we should all actually hear all of our options and vote on it as a class before doing anything. And there are also auditions to think of. It wouldn’t be fair if he got a role just because he called it and suggested the play.”

Eacker nodded. “Well said, Lafayette.”

Thomas shot him a glare.

The class voted and chose Heathers, then Eacker took down names for auditions later that week. It was no surprise that Lafayette was interested in playing Veronica, he may not have known much about the musical, but he knew she was the main protagonist. It did come as a surprise to see that Thomas Jefferson wanted to play Heather Chandler, as well as Jason Dean. Once they had that sorted out, Eacker handed out the scripts and paired everyone up to read through some lines together. Of course, and unfortunately, Lafayette got paired with Jefferson.

As soon as Eacker had his back turned, Jefferson slipped back into a devious grin. “You know Heathers, don’t you? The plot?” It was as if he could see through Lafayette and knew that he hadn’t. “Because if I get to play JD, you and Herc are finished.” He flipped to about the middle of the script and hummed some of Lafayette’s lines. “Sorry, but I really had to wake yoooou, see, I decided I must ride you til I break yoooou. Heather says I gots to go, you’re my last meal on death row, shut your mouth and lose those tiiiighty whiiiities~.”

Lafayette shuddered, but hid his discomfort. It was just acting.

Thomas seemed to be happy to be in a position of making him squirm like that again.

After a while, Eacker clapped his hands to gather everyone’s attention. “Alright, everyone, it seems like we’re in for a great show this year. Now, let’s test your stage presence. And I think we should begin with the most experienced. Thomas, Lafayette, care to start us off?”

“With pleasure.” Thomas strode towards the stage as everyone moved from the drama classroom right on the other side of it to the auditorium, Lafayette reluctantly following.

“Let’s see here.. Why don’t you two take it from Blue?”

Thomas found himself laughing a bit, brushing it off as the music started. “…heeeeeey ‘Roooonicaaaaaa~” he hummed enthusiastically.

Lafayette scrunched up his nose. Acting disgusted by Jefferson was second nature by now. “Ew, you’ve got a left hand. Use it.”

“Don’t talk mean like that! You’ll hurt their feeelinnnngggsssss…~” Thomas took creative liberty as to spin around and lean up against Lafayette, his arm draped across his forehead feigning heartbreak. It elicited a few giggles from the girls in the class. “You make my balls so bluuuue, you hurt them badly…” Thomas seemed to enjoy pestering Lafayette, poking him and wrapping his arm around him before he escaped, chasing him around the stage as Lafayette did his best to escape his every move.

About a minute or so in, Eacker cut them off and let them hop off stage, the class applauding their performance. As much as they hated to admit it, they worked well together.

“Please make their dreams come truuuue.” Thomas smirked, whispering to Lafayette as they took their seats. “Or Lex will make these balls not blue~.”

Lafayette gritted his teeth and stomped on Jefferson’s foot, careful to not let anyone see.

Thomas winced, taking a deep breath through his nose. Lafayette was bothered. That’s all that really mattered to him. “Is that how you killed the rat, too? Jeez…”

Lafayette ignored him and moved to a seat farther away, escaping him for the rest of rehearsal.


	20. Chapter 20

Once it was over, he drove himself home, mentally exhausted after everything that happened. As soon as he walked through the door, Martha called him over for a talk with her and George. “What is it?” he asked as he sat on the couch across from them.

“Well… We got a call from Alexander’s teacher this morning saying that you and Hercules killed Alexander’s rat. He said Thomas Jefferson told him.”

Lafayette’s eyes went wide, not because Jefferson said that, but because Adams believed him. What other teacher would? “That’s not true at all! It was a complete accident. Rosie got into his room and she killed him… She’s just a kitten.” Lafayette was just as scared of losing his kitten as he was of Alexander hating him.

“We figured that would be the case,” George sighed. “You’re not in any trouble. We just wanted to get the story straight. Alexander isn’t feeling too, so we couldn’t get it from him.”

“I understand.”

“Thank you. You can go now.”

He got up and went up to his room, sighing as he shut the door behind him. Rosie meowed at his feet and he scooped her up, sitting on the bed with her. For once the house was eerily quiet, so much so that Lafayette could almost hear Alexander in his room, typing away on his laptop and talking to John on Snapchat. By the end of the night, Alexander felt that he’d met John’s siblings and had a few pictures of them as well as a great picture of a sleepy John, the caption saying that he was proud of Alexander since he’d finished a meal, a bowl of soup.

For Lafayette, the night wasn’t nearly as short, though he couldn’t complain. As soon as he plopped onto his bed, he got a Snapchat from “Hunkules” of a few dresses on a rack with the caption [Are you okay?]. He smiled and sent back a picture of Rosie laying on his lap with the caption [A bit stressed from the day, but nothing too bad. At least our baby is enjoying herself.]

[I’m glad to hear that <3] came Hercules’s next Snapchat over a selfie. The next picture featured Hugh making a ridiculous face over his son’s shoulder. [Dad says hi.]

Lafayette giggled and sent back a picture of himself waving with the caption [Tell him I said hi!] then another of Rosie as she played with Lafayette’s hand. [Our playful daughter misses you]

“You’re a dad?” Hugh teased, looking over Herc’s shoulder at the screen.

“Yeah. Time to step up, grandpa.” He was interrupted as another picture came through of Rosie looking at Laf’s phone screen.

[I think she misses you <3 <3 <3]

Hercu smiled. [Aw, she’s tugging at my heartstrings!] [Give her a hug for us both or I’ll be forced to sneak through your window >:)] Hugh had gone back to the customers, so Herc was free to mess with Laf as he pleased.

Laf sent back a video of Rosie with the caption [She misses you so much!], him speaking in the background. “Herc’s not coming tonight, cherie.”

Rosie seemed to slump down, seeming to understand that she wasn’t going to be able to see Herc.

“Aw..” He sent back a random picture of some dresses. [Oh, no! Rosie!] [I hope your window’s unlocked]

Lafayette chuckled and sent back a picture of his window after cracking it open to let in some fresh air. [I’ll be waiting]

[Dont tempt me ;)] Hercules smiled and glanced up, seeing a girl take a necklace from a display and slip it into her bag. “Ahem.”

She glanced back up and put the necklace back, embarrassed.

Hercules rolled his eyes and sent one final message to Lafayette with a selfie. [Damn shoplifters </3 I have to go fight crime]

Lafayette tutted and changed into some sweatpants and a hoodie, letting Rosie ride in his pocket as he went downstairs for dinner, Alexander eating in his room. By the time he was done, Hercules came back and messaged him.

[Just finished up! I’m heading to the gym, then maybe swing by McDs if pops is feeling generous] [Want anything, sweet thing?]

Lafayette smiled. [Just an M&Ms McFlurry] [And you ; )]

[I’ll let you know when I’m on the way <3] Hercules got his dad’s car keys and went up to Hugh, presenting them.

“What? You want me to take you to see your beloved?”

Hercules rolled his eyes. “Gym, you tool.”

Hugh shook his head and waved him off. “Not tonight. Old man back. You can drive yourself.”

Hercules shrugged and left, messaging Lafayette. [Pops is letting me drive to the gym alone] [He’s losing it in his old age] [You can join if you’re not too busy being cute <3]

Lafayette smiled and hopped to his feet, changing into gym clothes and asking Martha if he could go. Of course, she said it was fine as long as he was home before midnight. [Yes <3 Martha says I can go]

[I’ll pick you up <3]

Not too long after, Hercules appeared outside in his father’s car. It was pretty worn down and scratched up, but it got them from A to B and that’s what mattered. Lafayette got in the car and held Herc’s hand as he drove them to the gym. “Maybe I can try some lifting tonight, too. You and John aren’t the only strong ones.” If anything, Lafayette had just as much muscle as John, both of them having more lean builds than Hercules.

He chuckled and led him to the weight room. “You’re a lot stronger than me in other things.” After all, he did know from experience that Lafayette was more suited to cardio and flexibility. He had him lay down on the bench and picked out a good amount of weight for him, something less than what John would usually lift.

Lafayette noticed that, but didn’t say anything. He grabbed the bar and listened to Herc’s instructions, then began to lift. It wasn’t too bad for him, as he’d predicted, and it wasn’t long before Hercules added a bit more weight to the bar, not without giving him a quick kiss, their lips meeting upside down.

“Sorry. Couldn’t resist.” Hercules smiled at how Lafayette just chuckled in response and watched as he lifted the weight, careful to look out for any signs of struggle. After all, if John couldn’t lift something, Hercules would just tease him and they could laugh it off, but with Lafayette? Not a chance. He wanted him to feel good. So, the second that he started huffing, Hercules took the weights from him. “Maybe you should take a rest.”

Lafayette nodded and sat up, letting Herc change the weights and begin to lift. He loved when Hercules treated him like a princess, but not when it meant treating him like he was weak. Still, Hercules was trying his best, so he wasn’t about to complain.

“So, how did drama practice go?” Hercules asked as he began lifting the adjusted weights.

“It went well. We’re performing Heathers.” He was sure it was a bad time to mention everything Jefferson said. Roles weren’t even set in stone yet.

Hercules may have been unaware of Lafayette’s current troubles, but he’d have to be blind to not see that Lafayette wasn’t his usual, hyper self. “Can’t say I’ve heard of it. Is it bad?”

“I’m trying out for the lead, but I don’t know much about it,” he shrugged, his voice carrying on in an uncharacteristic drone.

Hercules frowned and got up, going to Lafayette and cupping his stubbled cheek. “Talk to me… Is something wrong?..”

“No… Yes… I don’t know…” He sighed and put a hand over Herc’s. “I just get these moments where I feel weird and things just don’t feel right.. It’s nothing serious, I promise.” He took his hand from his cheek and kissed it.

Hercules nodded. He didn’t know how to fix this… but maybe he could help him feel a bit better. He smiled a bit and grabbed his phone. “I want to show you something… We had a shipment for materials today and some blue silk came in..” He showed him a picture of a very expensive looking roll of practically glowing material. “And it reminded me of the dress you wore on our date. God knows you looked stunning in that. Apparently, some snobby designer turned it away, so it just kind of got sent our way. It didn’t take much convincing for pops to let me have it.” He swiped to a picture of the material in the early stages of becoming a dress. “I just want to show you what you’re really worth to me. It was going to be a surprise, but I wanted to make you smile. Oh! And, before I forget.” He swiped to a picture of a few tiny fabric cutouts. “I’ve been working on a little something for Rosie, too.”

Lafayette smiled widely and hugged Herc as tightly as he could. “Oh, Herc… You don’t have to do these things for me to know that you love me and you certainly don’t need to do anything to make me love you anymore. You do that just being you.”

Hercules smiled back, though it was short lived. After all, with Jefferson constantly tearing into his confidence, there wasn’t much left as far as his relationship with Lafayette went. “I just wanted to show you that I love you..” He leaned down and kissed Lafayette, letting his fingers lightly trace his hips. He pulled away with a sigh. “I know I shouldn’t let him bother me, but he really knows how to hit hard.. Jefferson came up to me and started talking about how out of my league you were, the only thing we can agree on..” John and Lafayette could easily hide their worries for anyone else’s sake, but Hercules wasn’t like them. He looked vulnerable. “He said my days are numbered until you figure it out and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t scare me.”

Lafayette frowned. He tried not to be violent, but Jefferson was pushing his limits. “Herc, that’s ridiculous. You know he’s a moron.”

“Don’t you ever think you could do better? I mean… I’m not popular. I’m not some heart throb. I’m just.. I’m just Herc.”

Lafayette cupped his face. “Hercules, look at me. As long as I’ve known you, I have never had eyes for anyone else. Not once. I’ve loved you since we were kids because to me, you’re not just Herc. You’re my best friend. You’re always there for me when I need you and you always know exactly how to make me smile. I have nothing to figure out except for how to make up all of the wonderful things you do for me.”

Hercules wrapped his arm around Lafayette’s wrist and sighed, holding him close with his other arm. Lafayette was so caring and talented and definitely had the looks of a model. He was perfect material for becoming a celebrity and then there was him. Sure, he could create his own huge clothing line with enough effort, but that didn’t change the fact that the two looked so different. To him, Lafayette always had a regal, elegant feeling about him, even now in the gym, and Hercules was so rugged. He wasn’t able to pass as a nerd or a jock and his fingers were always scratched up from work and Herc’s biggest flaw was just how aware of his flaws he was. Maybe it hadn’t bothered him before, but dating Lafayette rose the stakes to a point where he was afraid he couldn’t reach.

Lafayette kissed his cheek. “Why don’t we go get some ice cream?.. My treat.”

Hercules nodded and looped his arm around Lafayette’s waist, leading him back out to the car and opening the door for him before getting into the other side.

Lafayette got in the car and had an idea as Hercules got in. “Why don’t I ask Martha if I can stay the night with you? We can go and get some clothes from my house before we get ice cream.”

Hercules smiled slightly and nodded. “Yeah. That sounds good.” He drove them to Lafayette’s house.

The Frenchman went inside, going upstairs to his room and smiling when he saw Alexander in there, asleep. He kissed his cheek and kissed the top of Rosie’s head as she laid in his arms, also asleep, then went and asked Martha if she could spend the night with Hercules. Of course, she said yes, so he got his change of clothes and left.

When he got back to the car, Hercules had regained his composure and didn’t seemed so bothered anymore. He smiled as Lafayette got in the car and told him that Martha was letting him stay over, then drove them to a nearby McDonald’s.

Still…. Laf realized something had to be bothering him, but he didn’t ask about it on the way there. He bought them both ice cream first and sat with him in a booth, reaching across the table and holding his hand. “Something’s bothering you.. I know it.. Talk to me.”

Hercules sighed and nodded, squeezing his partner’s hand. “I’m just… I’m scared about talking to John. I just… What are we even going to say to him?”

Lafayette frowned a bit. “I don’t know.. We just have to trust that he’ll react rationally. This is John, after all.” He took a bite of his ice cream and sighed. “But I know that’s not all that’s bothering you.”

The was Hercules shifted in his seat confirmed that. “You weren’t my first… I mean, it was nothing compared to what John went through, but I did do the do well before I was ready,” he sighed. “I shouldn’t be telling you this.. It isn’t right.”

“No..” Lafayette began, though he’d be lying if he said he wanted to hear where this went. “No, if it’s bothering you, you shouldn’t be afraid to tell me.”

Hercules nodded. “I was just… doing what lonely people do, I guess… Elizabeth was a friend and whenever I went over to Ireland for ‘holidays’, my parents were always too busy sorting out the company than to spend time with me. Elizabeth had the same issue. I felt so lonely. Elizabeth was just looking for fun and I wanted to show her I could be that fun, that I was worth keeping around… and the worst part is that the entire time, I was crushing on you. I didn’t want Elizabeth. Then we came back over here and she sent me so much abuse through email and made some pretty terrible claims about me… And I wouldn’t blame you if you were pissed at me. I just… Thomas accusing me of not being good enough and what happened with him and John, even Thomas doing this to Alex is just… It brings those stupid memories back…”

Lafayette frowned as Hercules spoke, listening quietly. Just doing what lonely people do? Lafayette sure as hell had his own share of lonely nights, having never liked anyone else besides Hercules, but he never- No… That wasn’t right. He couldn’t get mad at Hercules for something that happened when they weren’t even dating. It wasn’t fair. He took his other hand. “Hercules, I’m not mad at you. I have no reason to be mad. Nobody deserves anything like that.” He kissed his hands and sighed. Hercules deserved to know… “The part I’m auditioning for… Her character has a sexual scene with another character, one that Jefferson is auditioning for. I wasn’t going to tell you yet because nothing is set in stone yet, but I thought I should tell you since you’ve been so honest with me.”

Hercules frowned. Lafayette singing sultry things to another man? To Jefferson?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help out a broke college student, you can ask for commissions at slashgashotaku@gmail.com. I also do free requests.


	21. Chapter 21

It was unbearable, it was inconsiderate… It was acting. It was acting and it was something that Lafayette seemed genuinely interested in and there wasn’t a force on earth that would make Hercules take that away from him. “You know what… You go for that role. And you go kill it. If Eacker doesn’t choose you for it, he’s lost it.” He squeezed his hands.

Lafayette smiled softly and let his hands go, returning to his ice cream. “You know I’d never say that type of stuff to him or anyone else and mean it, right?.. I only have eyes for you, especially like.. that. If I do get that role, I’ll just pretend its you I’m talking to,” he chuckled, only half joking. He ate another mouthful of ice cream and sighed. “Um… The reason I was so nervous that you’d get upset was that he said that if he gets that role.. you and I are done… That’s the last thing I’d ever want.. I love you too much..”

Hercules felt his heart swelling. It was beyond endearing to see Lafayette worrying about the same things he was, though he’d never actually want him to worry. “The only way this will end is if you call it. Until then, you’re stuck with me.”

“I could say the same thing.” Lafayette smiled. The pair finished their ice cream and walked out to the car.

“Oh! You know, my mom’s coming home tomorrow. I can’t wait to tell her about us.” He kissed his hand before letting him get in the car.

“That’s great! I can’t wait to see her. I hope she reacts as well as your dad.” He smiled and got in the car, Herc getting in on the other side.

“What’s not to love? You’re an angel.” Hercules responded as he began driving home. “Oh! Do you want to do something bad?” he asked as they drove through a neighborhood as a shortcut. Before Lafayette could ask what he was going to do, he stopped in front of a huge Victorian style house. “Pompous house, pompous garden, you don’t need three guesses to know who lives here.” He grinned wickedly.

Lafayette chuckled. “You wouldn’t.”

Hercules responded by blaring the car horn.

Before long, a light turned on in the top floor, revealing Thomas Jefferson as he hurled insults and curses at the pair.

Hercules laughed like a mischievous toddler as he drove away, clearly proud of what he’d done.

Lafayette laughed with him and looked back to see Jefferson’s annoyed face just one more time before he disappeared and Hercules pulled up to the shop. “I can’t believe you actually did that!” As they parked, Lafayette leaned over and kissed Hercules, making him blush brightly.

It was probably just the adrenaline, but it almost felt like Lafayette was kissing him for the first time. Being with him truly did wonders for his earlier mood.

The pair got out of the car and headed inside, going up to Herc’s room.

“My dad should be asleep by now.” He tutted as he looked at his laptop, open to Facebook, and read his new status, compliments of his father. [Im a loser who doesnt close his door] “But he can’t operate a like page,” he chuckled, rolling his eyes a bit.

Lafayette looked over his shoulder and giggled at the screen. “He’s funny.. We should be getting to sleep.” He kicked off his shoes and laid down on Herc’s bed. It was a fairly big room, but the mannequins and supplies took up most of the space, leaving room for only a twin sized bed. Hercules didn’t mind. It only gave him more of a reason to cuddle up to Lafayette.

He laid down with his boyfriend and held him close, kissing his nose before falling asleep, Lafayette close behind him.

in the morning, Lafayette took a shower and got dressed before heading downstairs, smiling as he saw Herc’s father already there. “Good morning, Hugh.”

“Good morning Laf.”

Lafayette made himself breakfast and sat down, eating.

When Hercules joined him, he grabbed his own breakfast as well, whistling a tune.

Hugh looked up at him. “You’re happy.”

“I always am, pops.”

“Not in the morning, you aren’t.” He rolled his eyes a bit. “Your mother comes home tonight. Maybe I’ll be able to wake up with as big of a smile tomorrow.”

“Have you heard anything from her yet?”

“Not yet. Roads are busy and you know she wouldn’t dare look at her phone while driving.”

Hercules chuckled. “That’s why your car is scratched up and hers isn’t.”

“Hush.”

Lafayette smiled as he watched the pair bicker and checked the time, getting up. “We should get going, Herc.”

Hercules nodded and looked at Hugh. “What are the odds of catching a ride?”

“No can do. I have to get some things for your mom.”

“Come on,” Hercules groaned. “Romance can wait.”

“You have legs. They work.”

Hercules grumbled and rolled his eyes before heading out with Lafayette. “He’s really excited about my mom coming home..” He smiled. “He’s head over heels for her… I like to think that’ll be us in ten, twenty years.”

Lafayette smiled and held his hand as they walked. “I would love that..”

John woke up to a sudden influx of text messages, groaning and rolling in the pillow fort that he shared with his three youngest siblings. He read his messages and saw that Alexander had been trying to get his attention for some time and was getting impatient.

[…i woke up in Lafs bed] [nd rosy allmost chockd me 2 deth] [woek up 2 her sleepin on m face] [i dnt thnk Laf saw me] [idk] [hey] [hey john] [jooooooohn] [u wake?] [jaaaaaaaaaaaaackie] [i kept getin wierd dreems] [idk if ill be in yet] [gon talk to martha] [geeeet uppppp] [i miss u dam it] [ill brake ur legs] [but liek] [lovingly] [anseeerrr meeeeee] [uuuggghhhhhhh] [stil lov u tho] [sleepy head] [<3 :*]

Alexander had in fact woken up that morning to a near death experience. As feverish as he was, Rosie seemed to find his forehead to be a good place to rest and rolled down into his mouth, making him choke and sputter on fur. Rosie let out a disgruntled mewl before hopping off. Alexander sat up and looked around as he remembered where he was before heading downstairs for breakfast. His fever was probably progressing, but he at least wanted to go to the political debate society. “Good morn-” He realized that it probably wasn’t going to happen as he was cut off by a coughing fit.

John got up and took a quick shower before making breakfast for everyone and responding to Alexander. [I’m awake] [Tell me about your dreams] [I love you and miss you too] [Please don’t break my legs] He chuckled at that one.

He made sure his siblings were all fed and kissed their cheeks before heading to school, running into Laf and Herc as they watched Thomas Jefferson walk inside, looking uncharacteristically unkempt. “What’s up?”

“Hercules drove by his house and honked in the middle of the night.”

John couldn’t help but laugh at that. “You guys are geniuses.” He trailed behind the pair as he received more texts from Alexander, smiling at the screen.

[i dremt i was a bird] [wich souns cool] [but i jus kept peckin peeple] [an liek… chasin them] [no more gta b4 bed] [ill spare your legs…] [THIS tiem] By then, Alexander was put back in bed, his laptop resting on his legs as he messaged John.

[No more GTA before bed for you.] [And my legs thank you.] He walked to class, biting back laughter at how disheveled Thomas looked. [Jefferson looks miserable. Laf and Herc drove by his place at night and honked.]

[Ha! Best!]

The pair stopped messaging for a while since John had class. Luckily, Jefferson wasn’t interested in antagonizing John, but the same couldn’t be said for him and Lafayette.

When he walked into his second class, Lafayette realized that he was going to be stuck with Jefferson and the joke suddenly didn’t seem so funny.

Naturally, Jefferson plopped down in the seat next to him. “Have you ever had to deal with any young kids, you French fuck?” he grumbled, glaring at Laf. “Because Jercules and his little prank woke up my sister and guess who had to deal with her tantrums all night?”

Lafayette rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t my idea, so don’t get snappy with me. And you’ve cost some of us much more than a night of sleep.”

Thomas tutted and leaned on the desk, unsuccessfully trying to keep track of what Adams was saying.

“Blah, blah, blah,” was all he heard. And, for the first time in a while, Thomas didn’t feel much like picking on Lafayette. He just wanted some sleep. Thomas felt his eyes drooping and began jolting awake every few seconds… before finally giving in and slumping asleep, leaning against Lafayette. Thomas being Thomas, it may have appeared intentional, but it was a genuine accident.

Lafayette seemed to pick up on that. He would’ve felt bad had he not known what Jefferson was capable of. He simply moved his head onto his own desk and let him sleep, knowing that Adams couldn’t see him sleeping all the way back there.

Before long, Thomas woke up again, this time for good. He sighed and picked his head up, taking a few notes before giving up and glancing over at Lafayette. “Where’s your brother? I could’ve used something fun to wake me up.”

Lafayette ignored that.

“Fine, don’t tell me. I’ll ask him myself.” He pulled out his phone beneath the desk and began messaging Alexander on Facebook. [Yo xx] [Where are you? xx]

[Sic. Leve me alon]

“He’s just sick,” Lafayette responded, not knowing that he’d already gotten the message from Alexander himself.

[But I miss you <3 xx] [Don’t you miss me? ;) xx] “See? Was that so hard?” He smirked at Lafayette. “Besides, we’ve got drama together now, ‘Rrrrrrrronica.” He took his phone back out and saw that Alexander had sent him a gif of a flying middle finger. He chuckled and pocketed his phone. “Your brother would’ve made a good Heather.”

Alexander, after a few hours of GTA, went downstairs to Martha, sitting with her. “Hey..” he croaked before clearing his throat. It helped, but not much. “I joined a society and they meet today and it would suck if I missed it already. I was thinking maybe you or George could take me?”

Martha felt Alexander’s forehead and frowned, shaking her head. “You’re still warm, sweetheart. And you can hear in your voice that you’re still sick. Maybe John or someone else can pick up whatever you need.”

Alexander groaned, his expression dropping in disappointment. “I just want to be productive.. And my phone broke, so I can’t text anyone. And stupid Jefferson messaged me..”

“I’m sorry.. I know it sucks being sick. And, about Jefferson, my advice is to just ignore him.”

“… I may have sent him a gif flipping him off.”

Martha couldn’t help but laugh a bit at that.

Alexander smiled, though it quickly faded. “You know… He’s a lot like Charles Lee… Like, Lee was flirty at first too, then he got violent.. I think that’s why he gets under my skin so much.”

Martha sighed. “I did always hate that boy.. I knew something wasn’t right about him. And now, there’s Jefferson.” She wasn’t getting the same feeling of pure evil when she thought of him, but that wasn’t the point. “But he isn’t Lee. And you’re not alone. Remember that.”

“I will… I just hope things settle down.” He sighed and decided to change the topic. “Can I ask John over later?”

“Of course. John’s always welcome over.” She smiled and checked the time. “I should be making us some lunch right about now.” She only disappeared for a minute or so before placing plates on the table in front of them and eating.

It was just a ham and cheese sandwich. Martha had even gone through the effort of cutting off the crusts for him. But Alexander eyes it like it was made of plastic. He picked up the sandwich and took a small bite, chewing carefully before smiling. “John’s been trying to get me to eat, too. I want to get better at it… Then I can take him to nice restaurants and cafes and we’ll be cute and stuff. I just need some money.. I could get a job..”

Martha smiled as Alexander rambled on. He truly was head over heels for John and she adored seeing it. “I could help you find a job.”

“Maybe I could clean at Herc’s… Never mind. He’d never let me.” He fell silent and took another bite of his sandwich.

“Why do you say that?”

“… He killed Pip with Lafayette… Then I got angry with Laf and Herc yelled at me… I don’t think either of them want to talk to me, let alone help me.”

Martha frowned at the accusation. “Alexander, that’s not what happened. Lafayette’s little kitten got him on accident. He feels awful about it, too… You know Laf. He gets upset when Gorge kills spiders around the house,” she chuckled lightly. “You should talk to him…”

Alexander frowned and looked down at his sandwich. “Maybe I will..” Martha did have a point, after all. Lafayette hardly looked like he had the heart to crush an animal cracker, much less allow that to happen to Pip. “But he probably hates me now.. I said some horrible things to him..”

Martha frowned as he told her what he’d said to him. “Alex.. You should apologize for that.. Maybe it didn’t hurt for Thomas to make those hateful comments, but from you… That makes you just as bad, if not worse.”

Alexander nodded slowly. He hated to admit it, but Martha was right. Those stupid comments put him in the same league as Jefferson. And that made him think. What if Jefferson was like him?.. Maybe he didn’t mean to say or do those things to him and everyone else. He made a note to talk to John about that later.

Martha sighed. “Have you taken your medicine?”

Alexander’s eyes went wide and he dashed up the stairs for a minute before coming back and plopping back down right where he was. “I have now.”

“Great. And, while you were doing that,” Okay, maybe “dashed” wasn’t the right word, “I grabbed Laf’s old phone for you. It’s pretty old, but it still works."She handed him the phone, an old model, but a smartphone, nonetheless.

"Thank you.” Alexander knew he’d have to charge it first, but looked at it for a minute. He remembered seeing it with Lafayette soon after he got adopted. Lafayette was carefree, but he was responsible, that was for sure. There were few scratches on the screen, despite being years old. He looked at the back. French flag, blue diamond stickers. It screamed Lafayette. But it was a phone. A working phone. And that’s all that really mattered. He got up to go upstairs. “Thank you, mom, for lunch and for everything..” He hugged her before walking upstairs.

Martha couldn’t have been smiling wider. Alexander hardly ever called her mom and he always corrected himself after. He was making some progress, not only with her, but with his food and medicine. She took his mostly empty plate to the sink.


	22. Chapter 22

Alexander popped the phone onto a charger and waited for the screen to light up. When it did, he saw that the lock screen was Lafayette and a few old friends in front of the Eiffel Tower. He looked happy. At least, he looked substantially happier than the last time Alexander saw him. He sighed and added Lafayette’s new number before texting him. [Laf: hey, its alex. marta gavme ur old phon. can we tak l8r? its imprtnt.] Then he switched to texting John. [John: hey, marta gav me lafs old phon 4 now.]

Both were headed back to class after lunch, though Lafayette was more nervous to respond. [Yes, of course, but it will have to wait a while. I have drama and we’re talking to John after that.]

[I’m glad to hear that. I missed you. : )]

Alexander opened his laptop to work on something for the debate society, cringing as Lafayette’s text tone rang through. ‘Salut! New message, Monsieur! Meow!’ Even Lafayette now would be annoyed by it.  [Laf: it ok. I jus wana tak. Hav fun in drama :)] He hoped he sounded friendly enough. The last thing he wanted to do was panic Lafayette. [John: i talked 2 marta a lot. I feel beter 4 it. Oh! Also took my meds] […do u thnk Tomas gets angry spels?] [no, ignor tat. It’s dum. Jus thinkin 2 much. Bored @ hoem.]

Lafayette was the first to respond with a simple [Thank you, I’ll see you then.]

[I’m glad you feel better! Can’t have my love feeling too bad <3] [I’m also proud of you for taking your meds <3] It was mushy, but it was John. He was usually like that. At least he was with Alexander. When the second set of messages came through, he frowned a bit. [Jefferson’s just a stupid bully. I’ve known that for a while now, you know.] [Don’t let him get to you.]

Alexander sighed. He couldn’t blame John for thinking that way after what he did to him. [sry, just didnt tink ne1 cud b tat much of n ass w/out reson]

[I see where you’re coming from, but Jefferson isn’t like you. He doesn’t care.]

John had a point, but… It was worth a shot. He logged into Facebook and pulled up his messages with Jefferson. [dnt b men to laf in drama]

[Anything for you <3 xx]

[dnt do tat. im tryin to b sivil]

[You just wanted to message me, didn’t you? ;) xx]

[no.]

[Why? Besides, I’m meant to be working, boo <3 xx]

[4get it] Alexander dropped back to his pillow with a huff, holding the phone to his chest. This wasn’t going anywhere. [jus bored. Go bck 2 studyin]

[Yes sir <3 xx] Thomas chuckled and strode into class with Lafayette and Hercules, where Alexander usually joined them, and sat beside the pair. “Smile, Mulligan. You use less muscle.”

“When you drop, I will.” He shot back.

“Now, now, I’ve been given specific instructions to be nice to Laf. I plan on following them.” Thomas grinned.

Lafayette shifted to be a bit closer to Herc. He didn’t feel like starting a fight with Thomas that day and didn’t want Hercules to feel he had to. “If you really wanted to be nice to me, you’d kindly fuck off.” He smiled, speaking low enough so that the teacher wouldn’t hear, but loud enough for Thomas to hear him clearly.

Thomas nodded. “As you wish.” And he… actually left?

“What’s up with that?” Hercules asked.

“I don’t know.. Maybe we should just enjoy this while it lasts.”

[Laf asked me to move and I did. That’s being kind, right? ;) xx]

[i gess… thnx?].

[Don’t mention it. See? I can be nice <3 xx]  [What am I going to get in return? Or do I move back to sitting next to them? xx]

Alexander froze, feeling his heart jump wildly in his chest. [wat do u meen…?]

[I mean xx] [Either we start 'getting along’ if you catch my drift, I’ll play nice. I’ll be nice to Laf, I’ll be nice to Herc; hell, I’ll even be nice to your Johnny <3 xx] [We’ve just got to spend some time together, that’s all xx] [Or I can go find John now. He’s probably in the library, right? xx]

[nO] [dnt do that] [pls] He panicked, typing back quickly, biting his lip.

[Then let’s hang out. Sit with me in lunch tomorrow when you’re back. Then come to mine after school. I’ll even drive us. OR I’ll get John. xx]

Poor Alexander whimpered in panic. This wasn’t what he wanted. Not in the least. [ok] He looked back to his conversation with John. [John, u cnt come ovr 2day. im 2 sick.]

John furrowed his eyebrows and took a break from drawing. [What? Are you sure? I asked Martha earlier and she said it’d be fine if I went over and visited you…] [And Lafayette asked me to come over, probably to talk about what they know.]

Crap, that was right. Alexander almost forgot. [sry, just havn an episod. frekd out fr a sec] He curled up and whimpered. He was scared… And he needed John now more than ever, but he wasn’t going to let Thomas come near him, not after what he’d done to him. He had to take care of this himself. He switched back to Facebook. [tomas, im not sure about this…]

[So you’d rather me go back to sitting next to him and start something? Ooh, I know, I could tell him how hot he looks in skinnies ;) xx]

Alexander jumped up. [no dnt] [sorry jus] [pls dnt do nythin] [pls] [tomas?] [thomas] [anser] [o god] [dnt hve dne nything] [pls] [tomas!]

[Chill. Eacker was looking this way so I had to hide my phone xx] This was a lie. Thomas had waited a few minutes before responding purposefully to scare poor Alexander. [Good to hear you screaming my name tho xx]

[stop pls]

[How’d you manage to misspell my name when it’s on the screen in front of you? ;P xx]

[pannic]

[Aww… don’t panic <3 I’m gonna look after you, I promise xx] He looked over at Lafayette and Hercules and smiled.

Lafayette glared back at him. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this…”

“Please be carerful..” Hercules kissed his cheek.

After school, Lafayette took a chance and sat beside Thomas for drama. “Hello, Thomas.”

Thomas raised an eyebrow at him. “Since when do you talk to me?”

“I just thought I could ask you for some advice. Do you have any tips for playing Veronica sawyer?”

This sparked his interest. “There’s not much to it. She’s a high school chick trying to fit in. Sort of a sassy girl next door.”

“I see..” He nodded. “And I wanted to apologize for our prank last night. I remember how hard it was for John to have to raise his siblings.”

“Forget about it. Lucy’s a kid. These things happen.” He pulled out his script. “So, are you okay with Dead Girl Walking? Because we’re going to have to practice that scene at some point and I don’t want it to be awkward when we do.” As if he cared. He only had to be nice to Lafayette.

Laf couldn’t help but shudder a bit ,though he was able to keep it to himself. “It’s just acting. No harm done. I’m sure Herc won’t mind.”

Thomas nodded. “You’re right. He shouldn’t.”

Before Lafayette could comment on what Jefferson was obviously trying to do, Eacker stumbled in, apologizing for being late once again before announcing their roles. Of course, Lafayette was Veronica Sawyer and Thomas Jefferson was Jason Dean.

“See? You know me. It won’t be so bad.”

Though, of course, it was the fact that Lafayette knew him that made it bad.

“What scene are you two talking about?” Eacker asked as he passed the pair.

“Dead Girl Walking. Just hoping it won’t be too awkward.”

Eacker smiled. “Well, nothing like breaking the ice.”

Wait, what?

“We’re all friends here. We were going to head on stage anyways to practice a few scenes. Why not this one?”

Oh, god, were they really doing this now? Lafayette stood up and took a deep breath before following everyone out to the auditorium. It’s just acting.

Thomas was too busy texting to worry.

[i dnt like tis] [im scared] [pls dnt taek it owt on laf] [i jst dnt want 2 go hoem w/ u] [sorry sory sorry] [nything els, u got it] [jus dnt ruin drma 4 laf] [dnt go neer Jhon] [John*] [pls] [pls] [pls]

[No. We’ve got a deal, babe. I’ll behave if you do as I say. Laf’s acting now; y'sure you wanna go back on this nooooow? ;) xx]

[nO] [pls] [leev hm aloen] [il b good] [its fien] [il go w/ yu] [srry]

[Good choice <3 xx]

Alexander changed the password on the phone to some complicated pattern before putting it down on the bed… then beginning to tremble. He hopped up from the bed before practically sprinting across to Lafayette’s room and launching himself at John. Poor Rosie barely had time to leap out of the way. She hissed disapprovingly as she knocked her paw before returning to her basket as Alexander buried his face in John’s chest, shaking like a leaf. He kept his arms wrapped around John’s waist in the same vice like fashion he had before when he was scared John would leave him.

John didn’t ask any questions. He didn’t have to ask what happened. He had a good feeling. He texted Jefferson to confirm his beliefs. [What did you do to Alex? Leave him alone. If you’re doing this to hurt me, just come after me instead. If you’re not, come after me anyways. Leave him out.]

Thomas chuckled. How cute. But he couldn’t respond yet. He got on stage with Lafayette and watched him act as the song began.

 

“The demon queen of high school has decreed it. She says Monday, 8 am I will be deleted. They’ll hunt me down in Study Hall, stuff and mount me on the wall. Thirty hours to live. How shall I spend them? I don’t have to stay and die like cattle. I could change my name and drive up to Seattle. But I don’t own a motorbike. Wait, here’s an option that I like. Spend these thirty hours getting’ freaky! Yeah! I need it hard, I’m a dead girl walking! I’m in your yard, I’m a dead girl walking! Before they punch my clock, I’m snappin’ off your window lock. Got no time to knock, I’m a dead girl walking.” As much as Lafayette dreaded the scene, he wasn’t about to half ass it.

“V-veronica..? What are you doing in my room…?” It was… unclear if Thomas was acting or not. It was either excellent acting ability… or Lafayette had genuinely caught Thomas off guard and scared him half to death. Either way, it certainly fit the role.

“Shh!” Lafayette looked back at Thomas with a sultry expression, grabbing his shirt collar. “Sorry, but I really had to wake you. See, I’ve decided I must ride you ‘till I break you ‘cause Heather says I gotsta go. You’re my last meal on Death Row. Shut your mouth and lose them tighty whiteys! Come on! Tonight I’m yours! I’m your dead girl walking.” He pushed him down to his knees, lost in the role. “Get on all fours, kiss this dead girl walking. Let’s go, you know the drill. I’m hot, and pissed and I’m on the pill. Bow down to the will of a dead girl walking.” He kneeled down and held his face. “And you know, you know, you know, it’s cause you’re beautiful. You say you’re numb inside but I can’t agree. So the world’s not fair? Keep it locked out there. In here it’s beautiful! Let’s make this beautiful!”

“Shh!” Lafayette looked back at Thomas with a sultry expression, grabbing his shirt collar. “Sorry, but I really had to wake you. See, I’ve decided I must ride you ‘till I break you ‘cause Heather says I gotsta go. You’re my last meal on Death Row. Shut your mouth and lose them tighty whiteys! Come on! Tonight I’m yours! I’m your dead girl walking.” He pushed him down to his knees, lost in the role.

Thomas felt his knees click as he dropped, but it was totally worth it. Lafayette looked an image of perfection and coupled with those lyrics… Thomas felt like he could take him there and then.

“Get on all fours, kiss this dead girl walking. Let’s go, you know the drill. I’m hot, and pissed and on the pill. Bow down to the will of a dead girl walking.” He knelt down and held his face.

It took all of Thomas’ restraint not to go back on his 'deal’ with Alexander. Whether or not getting in Lafayette’s pants was his focus, he was undeniably gorgeous.

“And you know, you know, you know, it’s cause you’re beautiful. You say you’re numb inside but I can’t agree. So the world’s not fair? Keep it locked out there. In here it’s beautiful! Let’s make this beautiful!”

“Th-that works for me!” He exasperated before yanking Lafayette into a kiss. It was rough and messy… but at least it fit the scene.

It was going to take the power of every god to wash that taste from Lafayette’s mouth. It tasted like.. Like.. Jefferson. And he hated it. But he didn’t act like it. He kissed back just as roughly because it wasn’t Lafayette kissing Thomas, it was Veronica kissing JD. And it was too late to back out then, so he kissed back and continued the song afterwards. “Yeah! Full steam ahead! Take this dead girl walking!

"How’d you find my address?”

“Let’s break the bed! Rock this dead girl walking!”

“I think we tore my mattress!”

“No sleep tonight for you! Better chug that Mountain Dew!”

“Okay, okay..”

“Get your ass in gear! Make this whole town disappear!”

“Okay, Okay!”

“Slap me, pull my hair! Touch me there, there, and there!” Lafayette didn’t know what was worse, the fact that Thomas’ hands were all over him or the fact that he was the one guiding them. At least he got to slap him. “No more talking!”

“Woah!”

“Love this dead girl walking!”

“Woah, woah! Hey, hey! Yeah, yeah!”

“Love this dead girl walking!”

“Love this dead girl! Woah, woah! Hey, hey! Wait, wait!”

They finished out the song in sync. “Love this dead girl! Yeah, yeah, yeah!”

“Ouch!”

“YEAH!”

“YEAH!”

As soon as the song was over, Lafayette got off of Thomas and caught his breath, smiling at the class a bit. He knew they did amazing. And he hated it.

Thomas looked like a mess. His hair was sticking up all directions and his face was glowing crimson. Thomas was no virgin, but he hadn’t expected Lafayette to carry out the scene so well, or convincingly. He pulled himself to his feet, joining the applause for Lafayette and himself before offering a hand to help pull Lafayette up from the floor.

“See? You’re both fine. Nothing to worry about.” Eacker chirped with praise. “It helps when it’s a friend there, right?”

“Right.” Thomas piped back before returning back to his seat with Lafayette. “…so do I owe you a cigarette or…?” He laughed lightly, attempting to tidy his hair.

Lafayette rolled his eyes, holding his arms that much closer against his chest.

When class drew to a close, Thomas put his script back into his rucksack and swung it over his shoulder. “You’re a great actor, Laf. Really. I mean that. I’ll catch you tomorrow.,” he complimented before waving him off and leaving the room, finally texting John back. [/I’ve/ done nothing. I haven’t seen him today. Besides, he’s /your/ boyfriend. You fix him xx]

As Lafayette followed behind him, surrounded by his classmates, he felt conflicted. He loved acting, but it felt wrong doing that scene with Jefferson.

When Lafayette came out of the classroom, surrounded by various other drama members full of praise and compliments, Hercules bit his lip. This was something Lafayette was 1. Obviously passionate about and 2. Very good at. Hercules’s jealousy would have to step aside. Instead, he greeted Lafayette with a supportive smile, pretending he hadn’t just seen that scene. “Hey you! Someone’s popular!” He hummed. “John headed back to yours early to see Alex. Are you ready to go?”

He nodded and faked a smile. “Yes. Let’s go.” He kissed his cheek and walked home with him.

When John and Alexander heard the pair arriving, the latter froze up a bit. Not only did they have the talk to do, but he hadn’t gotten around to apologizing to Lafayette and he believed him to still be mad.

They entered the room and mumbled a few greetings before sitting down, even Rosie leaving the room as she sensed the tense atmosphere.

John was the first to break the silence.


	23. Chapter 23

“Okay.. Alexander told me that he told you guys everything, but you shouldn’t worry about me. I sell art and I make more than enough money to support myself.”

“It wasn’t just that..” He reached for John’s arm, but he pulled it away and sighed.

“Give me a makeup wipe..” He took the wipe from Lafayette once he got it and ran it over his arm, exposing a web of scars.

“Oh, John…”

“They’re older than they look, I promise. The makeup keeps them looking like that..”

Alexander felt sick. He knew it was bad, but he didn’t think it’d be that bad.

“I’m getting better, though. I don’t do this anymore. The only reason I did Monday was because I was freaking out..”

Hercules frowned, putting a hand on his shoulder. “How often do you panic?.. Preserved or not, they don’t look very old..”

Alexander bit his lip before offering his own input. “When you did it… It didn’t look like you even realized your nails were being driven into your skin until you saw the blood…”

“I don’t do it often. It was my first time in a long time, in months. I’m fine,” he snapped, clearly not fine.

Hercules decided it was best to change the subject for the time being. “Where were you staying after you got kicked out?.. You know my parents would’ve taken you in in the meantime or that you could’ve stayed here..”

“I got an apartment the next day, at the same building as my friend Maria. The owner hooked me up because I painted the building for him. I didn’t tell you guys because I didn’t want you to worry..”

“Jack.. We’re your friends. We’re meant to-”

“Why’d you cut?”

“It’s pretty obvious, Alexander..” Hercules muttered.

“No, like why did you do it? It has to hurt and you hide it, so it’s not for attention..”

John sighed. “I thought I did deserve it. Because I was just so helpless without my mom. It’s stupid, but I thought I shouldn’t have been so reliant on her care after…” He hesitated.

“You don’t have to say, if you don’t want to.” That detail was one thing that Lafayette did know.

John shook his head. “No… Um… My mom.. She died during childbirth. And my dad didn’t feel like dealing with triplets. So I had to do a lot with caring for them, with help from a few friends, Lafayette included. Only because he always visited my place and could keep a secret. My dad hated him and still does because he likes boys, so he took it out on me.. And.. Yeah… So.. The short answer.. I cut because I felt worthless and I thought I deserved it. I was an unwanted child.. But I know that its stupid. It’s just.. A really bad old habit.”

“… Oh….” Was all Alexander could say. It wasn’t enlightened or disappointed, but an acknowledgement.

Hercules, on the other hand, gave him a sympathetic look. “You know… Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to have both of my parents…” He may have been a surprise birth, but Hugh and Sarah loved him all the same. John’s mother died and his father was more than abusive. Alexander also lost his mother and his father left. And Lafayette…. Well, he’d summed it up as his parents not having time for a kid, but nobody actually believed that. Hercules treasured his parents.

‘Salut Monsieur! New Message! Meow!’

Hercules snorted at the tone, recognizing it even after all that time just as easily as Lafayette did.

“Can I take that?” Alexander asked.

“Well… I guess we are done..” Lafayette began. “Unless anyone else wants to talk?”

Alexander jumped up and looked at Laf. “Right! I’m not mad, I’m sorry, thank Martha later, bye!” He bounded to his room. He hadn’t been mistaken in his worries, either. Jefferson had messaged him again.

[Was just thinking of you <3 Wear something cute tomorrow, kay? xxx]

He choked a little, covering his mouth. [i dnt hv nythin speshal]

[Then ask Laf ;P xx]

[i dnt wnt 2]

[Because he killed your rat, right? xx]

[tht was an axident]

[Then you’ve got no excuse xx] [Or I could always ask John to instead…? xx]

[il fnid somthin]

[Good boy <3 xx]

Alexander whimpered softly.

John frowned and got up, following him.

As they left, Lafayette turned to Hercules, grabbing his hand. “Is something bothering you?.. You’ve been acting a bit funny since after school..”

Hercules tried to deny it, but Lafayette saw right through it. He sighed. “Okay.. I may have peeked into your drama class earlier..”

Lafayette frowned. So he did see… “How much did you see?”

“Just a lot of 'Yeahs’ and a kiss… I’d say it wasn’t bothering me, but you can read me like a book…” He sighed. “Seeing you and him like that… I hate that I’m jealous because this is something you’re obviously really good at and really into. I don’t want to get in the way of that.”

Lafayette frowned and cupped his cheek. “Herc… I promise you it’s nothing more than a stage kiss. The only feelings I have for him are disgust.”

Hercules smiled at the reassurance and put a hand over Lafayette’s. “I hope you know I’m proud of you.. I’m still wondering how I landed someone as wonderful as you. Talented, motivated, you’re perfect. I’d follow you to the ends of the earth.”

Lafayette smiled and pecked his lips. “You’re my best friend, Hercules. I’m the one who should feel lucky.”

Hercules smiled and moved a curl from Lafayette’s face before leaning in for a kiss, chuckling as he muttered against his lips. “…Salut, Monsieur, new message. Meeeooowwww.”

“Meow!” Rosie mewled from the under the bed, walking back out.

Hercules chuckled and scooped her up. “At least someone likes it.”

John sat on his bed beside Alexander, watching him stare into the terrapin tank. “Hey.. Are you okay?..” He held his arms open for him.

Alexander nodded and hesitated before asking, “How do you think I’d look in dressy stuff?.. Like skirts or whatever?..” He leaned into John, resting his head against his chest.

“I don’t know. I think you could pull it off,” he shrugged, trying not to seem too enthusiastic without seeming offensive.

“Okay… And I know I’ve been acting weird, but I promise it’ll all be good in the end.”

“If you can promise me you won’t get hurt, that’s okay…”

Alexander simply nodded. He knew it was a lie. He knew that John would be suspicious the next day, but he also knew that this was to help John. He was doing this for John. “I’m going to a friend’s house after school.” He couldn’t know who it was. He’d never let him go.

But he didn’t have to tell him. This was getting beyond dangerous. “Okay..” He took a deep breath. “Something’s clearly bothering you. I won’t tell anyone if you talk to me about it.. And I won’t make you tell me anything..”

Alexander felt himself begin to freak out. 'Salut Monsieur! New Message! Meow!’ Instinctively, Alexander grabbed his phone, hiding the screen from John, and read Jefferson’s new message.

[Do you know John Jay? He’ll come get you tomorrow for lunch from your lesson <3 See you in the morning, boo ;* xx]

Alexander felt himself snap. “Y-you wanna know what’s going on so badly?! Well, y-you’re gonna have to k-keep guessing because I don’t have t-to tell you a damn thing!” He attempted to shuffle back from John; a difficult feat when he was sitting on his lap. It resulted in Alexander toppling backwards and landing on the carpet with a thump. “Don’t you have a-any f-faith in me?! D-don’t you t-tru-trust me?! I trust /you/!” He hissed, pushing himself along the carpet.

Hercules and Lafayette would’ve had to have been deaf not to hear Alexander’s outburst in the room next door, followed by the sound of Rosie charging back under the bed. “Jesus! We left them alone for what? Five minutes?!” Hercules exasperated before getting up from the bed and peering out of the room just in time to see Alexander shuffling across the floor, Lafayette right behind him. “What the hell is going on?!

"Fuc- shut up!” Alexander snapped at him, holding himself back from swearing in the house. That’d cause a storm with George he didn’t want to see unfold. “You th-think I don’t get it?! Th-that I don’t h-hear you all talking soooo w-worried about me?! Well I’m fine! I’m p-perfectly fine! So fine, in fact, I’m gonna talk to L-laf about clothes and crap then g-go to sl-sleep because that’s JUST h-how absolutely FINE I am!”

Hercules glanced between John and Lafayette, and the obviously not fine Alexander.

John felt himself shaking. He’d always been a worrier and he’d always hated it. And now, in his eyes, Alexander was screaming at him because of it. He grabbed his bag and ran towards the stairs, Lafayette chasing him. Right at the top of the staircase, Lafayette grabbed his arm.

“John, please don’t go.. You know he didn’t mean it. I’m not letting you leave..”

John shook his head. “I should’ve trusted him.. I should’ve listened..”

“You did nothing wrong.” Lafayette pulled him into a hug. “You did nothing wrong. I’m not letting you leave.. Go to my room, okay? You can listen to music and draw and forget everything else, okay?”

John nodded weakly and let Lafayette lead him to his room. He sat on his bed and cuddled Rosie as she came up to him, listening to his music as loud as his earphones would allow.

Lafayette stomped back to Alexander’s room and turned to Herc. “You go stay with John, okay?”

Hercules nodded and left and Lafayette sat beside Alexander.

“Alright. I will talk with you about clothes, if that’s what you want, but you have to understand that we’re worrying for a good reason. You go and get yourself hurt without thinking about how it affects anyone else and you say and do things before thinking. And, with Jefferson around, we have plenty of reasons to worry about you. All of us. We’re your friends and we care about you.” He sighed. “Now, what did you want to talk about?”

Alexander whimpered and tugged at his hair, the pain being the only thing keeping him from breaking down. “Laf.. You don’t understand! N-Nobody does.. What I-I’m doing is-is a good thing and i-it’ll be worth me acting-acting weird for a bit.. I’m s-so scared, b-but I have to protect John! I-I keep h-hurting him a-and I ju-just want to protect him!”

Lafayette sighed and pulled him close, helping him calm down. “Alex.. I want to help you, I promise I do. None of us want to hurt you. We only want to help you, I promise. It’ll save John a lot of grief if you open up and just let us help you.”

Alexander whimpered and gave Lafayette his phone, unlocking it for him. “H-Help.. Please…”

Lafayette nodded and looked through the messaged, his heart jumping into his throat. “Alexander… This is beyond serious.. I wish you would’ve told me sooner, but it’s okay. We’re going to help you. He already hurt John. I’ll be damned if I let him hurt you, too.”

Alexander shook his head. “He’ll hurt J-John… I’ve got-gotta go with him and-and- damn it, I c-can take b-blow after blow if it me-means keeping him s-safe. And y-you! God, you-you already have to d-do some play with him an-and I see it on your face every time you mention it, how much y-you hate that he’s there..! I-I can be a dis-distraction!”

“No, Alexander. There is absolutely no way I’m letting that happen. I promised I would help you and that is exactly what I’m going to do.” He texted Jefferson. [This is Lafayette. You are scum among scum. He will not be going home with you tomorrow and you will leave John out of this. And you will not make him do anything for telling me this because I made him. It is my fault, not his.]

He got a reply soon. [What? He messaged me first :P He’s so dead tomorrow, haaaah xx]

Alexander peeked over Lafayette’s shoulder, his eyes going wide. “Laf, give me my phone! I can fix this! I can tell him it was a joke!” He reached for Lafayette’s phone, but Lafayette leaned away, fighting Alexander off as he sent another text.

[He didn’t do anything. I forced him to tell me.]

[We made a deal. I don’t know what else to tell you, babe :P If Alex wasn’t into this, he would’ve said no. Blame him, not me. xx]

“Laf, give it back!” As he flailed, his fist met Lafayette’s cheek with an almighty clap.


	24. Chapter 24

Hercules heard the sound from Laf’s room as he watched John, but the second he heard that slap, he was standing and storming towards the room, working on autopilot. He lifted Alexander off of Lafayette, god knows what he would’ve done if he had been and inspected the mark on Lafayette’s cheek before turning back to Alexander, letting the anger take over. “Alexander, how DARE you?!”

Alexander was hardly listening. He was still too busy fighting Hercules’s grip.

“I’m fine. It just stings.” Granted, it stung to the point of tears, but he knew Alexander didn’t mean it. That was the difference between Lafayette and Alexander. Alexander may have been more willing to take a hit that was easily dodged, but Lafayette could take it.

Alexander struggled in Hercules’s grip and cursed at him, though the insults just bounced off of him. After a few seconds, he finally began to calm down, whimpering. “I want my mom..”

Hercules sighed. “Alex, listen, you don’t have to tell me anything, but you should at least tell John. This is putting a huge mental strain on him…”

Alexander nodded.

“Do you want Laf there?”

He nodded.

“… Do you want me there?”

He nodded again, surprising both Hercules and Lafayette.

“Do you want me to get him?”

He shook his head.

“Do you want to go to him?”

He nodded.

“Okay…”

Lafayette got up and walked to his room first. John was just sitting there, Rosie in his lap, hardly noticing Lafayette until he called his name. “John?”

He looked up.

“We’re bringing Alexander in. He wants to tell you what’s been happening.”

John glanced over at Alexander as he and Herc came in and shrunk back a bit. “I’m sorry.. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to..”

Lafayette sat beside John and offered Alexander his phone so he could show him, seeing that Alexander himself telling him wasn’t much of an option in this state.

By then, Jefferson had already sent another string of abusive messages, all directed at Alexander.

[You’re a fucking coward.] [Couldn’t take the heat? Didn’t care enough about John and Laf?] [Good, I say. Now I can really make their miserable lives hell.] [All because you didn’t want to put out. You’re fucking pathetic.] [Kill yourself for all I care.] [You’re dead tomorrow anyway. Do the job early.]

Alexander clenched his teeth.. He’d not just need to tell John but also George and Martha. And that could lead to him getting moved. He buried the thought. Not now. Now was time to tell John everything. Alexander opened the conversation with Thomas, merely typing [sry] before handing it over to John. He felt like he was handing him a suicide note.

John carefully took the phone from him in case he wanted to change his mind, then read through the messages when he didn’t. He felt so angry. But he also felt so sick. Thomas never threatened him like that. When he finished, he carefully put the phone down, as if it was a ticking time bomb, then hugged Alexander. “You should’ve told me…” He tightened his grip a bit as he fought the sobs that were building up in his throat. “This isn’t your fault. I get it. You wanted to protect us, but this is not worth it. It would’ve hurt so bad if I found out you did this for me…” He pulled away and kissed his forehead. “We’ll figure this out. I promise.”

Alexander was instantly overwhelmed with relief. He choked out sobs and leaned against John’s chest, clinging desperately to John’s shirt. Still, the guilt was eating at him. Some boyfriend he was…

“Don’t worry… It’s okay, I promise.” He kissed his forehead. “We’re going to keep you safe from him.”

Alexander glanced down at his phone as Jefferson replied, clinging to John that much tighter.

[‘sry’ doesn’t cut it, you fucking cock tease.]

John frowned and turned off the phone. “I hate him…”

Alexander nodded and got up, stumbling on his feet. “Go..” he croaked out, wanting to leave. He tugged at John’s arm, wanting him to follow. It was an almost childish action, but it was less of a “Let’s go” and more of an “I need you.”

John got up and followed him over to his room. He’d follow him to the ends of the earth…

Alexander led John to his bed and sat with him, hugging him tightly and burying his face in his chest. “I lo- I love you..” he rasped out, his throat inflamed from crying. After everything that happened, he’d worried himself sick.

John rubbed his back gently, kissing the top of his head. “I love you too. You know, I don’t care that Jefferson was trying to hurt me. I can take it.”

Alexander shook his head and looked up at him with wet eyes. “Noo… I want to help.. I could take one for the team..”

“No, Alex. This was not okay. I understand your intentions and I’m not mad at you, but this was dangerous. Please don’t keep things like this to yourself..”

Alexander whimpered and buried his face into John’s chest, clinging desperately to his shirt. “I’m sorry… I won’t lie anymore…”

John kissed the top of his head and held him close. “I love you… So much… You know I’d do anything for you..”

Alexander sniffled and smiled. “In that case.. Could you pass this level on GTA for me?.. I’ve been goofing around forever because I can’t do it myself…”

John chuckled. “Of course.”

Alexander turned on his Xbox and turned on the game before giving John the controller and wrapping his arms around him from behind, sighing contently as he rested his head on his cheek. “Can you stay tonight?.. After everything… I just don’t want to be alone..”

John nodded. “Yeah, of course. As long as you promise to come and visit my siblings as soon as you feel better.”

Alexander looked up at him and frowned. “Oh, I can’t…” He slowly broke into a grin. “Martha says you’re all hers,” he joked, referring to their conversation the night before. “Yes! I want to meet them! Do you think they’ll like me?”

John chuckled at the joke and turned, kissing Alexander as the game loaded. “Very funny. I will say it one last time, my baby sister is Mary, my older one is Martha.”

“Mary, Martha, same thing,” he hummed as he turned back to the screen, blushing as he saw that he’d left his character in the strip club. “… I can explain…”

“No need. What am I supposed to do?” John asked with a smile.

Hercules hummed happily as he talked to Lafayette about his mother coming home, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. “You know… I should warn you. My mom is going to love finding out that you wear skirts and dresses now. Don’t be surprised if she yanks you away to try some, as gorgeous as you are.”

Lafayette giggled. “I’ll remember that. But I won’t mind. You know I love the stuff you and your family design.” He looked down as Rosie mewled for attention and picked her up, placing her beside them. “Maybe I can take Rosie to meet her.”

Hercules chuckled. “Good luck getting her back when she sees her.” He watched as Rosie climbed into his lap and began scaling his shirt. Her claws were sharp, but it could’ve been worse. He winced a bit as she moved, but didn’t have the heart to stop her. Once she reached his shoulder, she turned around and bounced to Lafayette’s shirt, burying herself in his collar.

Lafayette helped her out a bit and opened his collar, letting her tumble down to his stomach, where she laid down, purring contently.

Hercules smiled and pulled out his phone before she was able to tumble down and snapped a picture of the pair, sending it to his mom. “She’s going to love her.. You already knows she loves you.” Within minutes, he got a response.

[Herky! Your dad told me that you 2 were an item! You have to invite Laffy to dinner!]

Hercules chuckled awkwardly and showed Lafayette the text. “That’s my mom, alright.. What do you say?”

“That sounds great.” Lafayette smiled. “Could you get me a change of clothes? I don’t want to disturb Rosie..”

“Of course.” He kissed Lafayette’s forehead before grabbing him a change of clothes, a black skater skirt and a red and black flannel.

“Thank you.” Lafayette made sure Rosie was lying comfortably in the blankets before changing, adding a pair of black ankle boots to the ensemble before walking downstairs with Herc and waving at George. “I’m going to Herc’s for dinner. His mom just came home.”

George nodded, then furrowed his eyebrows. “Lafayette, what happened to your face?”

Lafayette, as good of an actor as he was, looked back confused and raised a hand to his cheek before “realization” struck. “Oh, that. It happened at drama. I was just a little bit too close to one of the girls during one of the songs.”

“Uh huh… Nothing to do with the noise upstairs?”

“That was just some enthusiastic Mario Kart,” Herc added with a shrug.

“Okay… Well, have a good time.”

“Thank you.” Lafayette smiled and walked out with Herc, driving to his house.

“Hey, I beat it,” John smiled after who knew how long. “I bet that’s deserving of a kiss.” He grinned at Alexander before kissing him.

“Huh. I was sure it’d taking you long- Mmph! Mmm,” Alexander sighed as John pulled him into a surprise kiss, though he didn’t mind in the slightest. He adored John’s surprise kisses. He wrapped one arm around John’s shoulder’s and tangled his other hand in his curls, blushing when he pulled away. “Never stop doing that,” he practically gasped.

John chuckled. “I won’t. Trust me.”

Alexander blushed and shifted so he was in John’s lap. He couldn’t help himself. After two days of complete stress, here he was with the guy of his dreams. “Can I try something?..”

John nodded. “Yeah. What is it?”

“Just tell me if you don’t like it..” Alexander shyly slipped his fingers under the back of John’s collar. It wasn’t a huge move, hell, his thumbs were still on the outside of his collar, but it made him just as flustered.

John smiled and blushed lightly. “That’s fine, I promise. Do you mind if I do this?..” He rested his hands on Alexander’s hips so that his thumb and forefinger rested on his skin while the rest of his hand stayed on his jeans.

Alexander shivered a bit from the new contact. It was a tiny advancement, but it was skin to skin. “It’s fine. I’m fine.” He smiled and leaned forward, their lips meeting in an effortless kiss. Their lips knew exactly how to fit together after the time that had passed. When he pulled away, he leaned his forehead against John’s, his face a glowing red. “You look like a strawberry,” he teased John.

“Whatever,” he chuckled. “You look like a cherry.”

Alexander opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off as John pressed his lips to his in another passionate kiss. He hummed contently against his lips and moved one of his hands to his cheek, the other slipping a bit further down his shirt, his thumb now under the fabric. He trusted John to tell him if he was crossing any boundaries.

But John didn’t. He didn’t have to. He loved the contact just as much as Alexander did. He moved his hands up a bit so that they rested completely on his waist, rubbing small circles into his sides with his thumbs.

Alexander was the first to pull away, blushing as he caught his breath. “Hah… This is a lot… It’s good, but it’s a lot.”

John nodded and kissed his forehead. “Take your time.”

“Okay…” Alexander took a deep breath through his nose before pulling off his shirt, revealing old bruises, no doubt from picking fights at his old school. “Let me explain myself… I don’t want to go anywhere too… extravagant tonight, but your hands were already on my hips, you know?.. I guess I just want to show you that I’m comfortable being like this with you…”

John nodded, understanding what he meant, and pulled off his own shirt as well. “I feel the same… It doesn’t bother me.” Alexander may have seen his lower torso when he helped patch up that cut he got in his fight with Jefferson, which was already practically gone, but he’d never seen him completely shirtless. There were a few scars, seemingly from when he was younger and got in fights, but nothing too alarming.

Alexander blushed darkly and put his hips back on the back of John’s shoulders, feeling his heart beat against his ribs as John returned his own hands to his hips. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to John’s once again, feeling something a bit more as they kissed that time. Nothing that would lead to anywhere more extravagant, but definitely more. He could’ve sworn they both had hearts in their eyes as they pulled away, both slightly out of breath from the kiss. Alexander reached up and pulled the hair tie from John’s hair, letting his curls fall to his shoulders. “Wow.. I didn’t think you could get any more beautiful..”

John blushed and pushed his hair from his face, then pulled out Alexander’s hair tie. “Now we’re even.” He pecked his lips.

Alexander smiled shyly. “I’d wear a skirt for you..” After a few seconds, he stumbled to explain himself. “I mean, I would do things to look cute for you. I wouldn’t wear them like Laf, but I would for you…”

John shook his head. “You’re already cute enough for me, trust me.” He leaned forward and kissed Alexander again, his hands on his waist.

Alexander nipped lightly at John’s bottom lip and pushed his tongue in once he let him. Their tongues collided almost playfully and John was quick to let Alexander take the lead, though neither of them seemed to have much of an idea as to what to do. When he pulled away, Alexander caught his breath and looked up at John. “Uh.. Cuddle time?..”

John nodded. “Yeah. That sounds good.” He laid down, pulling Alexander down beside him. After a few seconds of silence, he smiled. “I drew you..”

Alexander looked up at him with curious eyes. “You did? Let me see!”

John smiled and rolled over, getting his bag and pulling out a sketchbook. He flipped to a tagged page and showed Alexander the photo-realistic pencil drawing.

Alexander gasped when he saw it and gently took the sketchbook as if it were a baby, taking in the details of it. He practically teared up from joy. “It’s… I…. You…. I love you!”

John chuckled and wiped Alexander’s eyes. “I’m glad to hear that. I love you too.”

Alexander only continued tearing up and carefully put the sketchbook out of harm’s way before attacking John’s face with a flurry of kisses.

He laughed and accepted the attack for a few seconds before grabbing Alexander’s face and kissing him, then wiping his eyes. “I’m glad you love it.. But, in my opinion, my artwork will never be as beautiful as the original.”

Alexander’s face once again went red.

“Boys! Dinner!” they heard Martha call from downstairs.

Alexander sighed and got up, going to the dresser and pulling on one of John’s old shirts, John himself pulling back on the one he already had, and walked with him downstairs. For them, dinner was fairly uneventful, besides Alexander being unable to quite finish his, and they ended the night with cuddling as they fell asleep.

For Lafayette and Hercules, the night brought on a bit more.


	25. Chapter 25

Once they arrived at the shop, they found that all of the lights were still on, though the sign said closed, and music was blaring from the inside.

“She’s home, alright,” Hercules chuckled. He lead Lafayette to the door and opened it, the music blasting out of the door.

His parents were dancing along through the clothing racks, spinning and bouncing. They may not have been the most skilled dancers, but it was sweet watching the pair act like lovestruck teens.

“Hey!” Hercules shouted multiple times, trying to get their attention. Eventually, he simply resorted to shutting off their music.

“You’re no fun,” Hugh grumbled, though Sarah was more than happy to stop the fun if it meant seeing her son again.

She dashed over and pulled him into a bone crushing hug. “My baby boy! I’ve missed you so much!”

“I’ve missed you too, ma!” Herc wheezed out as she let him go.

She took his face and inspected it from very angle while bombarding him with questions. “Have you been eating well? Changing your clothes everyday? Changing your under-”

“Yes! Ma, I’ve progressed into adulthood. I can make sure I don’t die,” he interrupted, though the smile on his face said that he didn’t mind the embarrassment. Yet.

Sarah nodded and turned to Lafayette with a wide grin, pulling him into a similar hug. “And you, Laffy Taffy, it’s been too long!” She let go and held his shoulders, taking him in. “You have not changed a bit! You look lovely in a skirt! Is Herky treating you well? Is he making sure you’re spoiled?”

Lafayette chuckled and nodded. “Don’t worry, he’s spoiling me. He won’t let me stop him.”

“I’m so glad to hear that! Now you keep him in line, now. If he gets out of line, you have my permission to hi-”

“Mom! Please! I’m doing my best to be a good boyfriend, I swear!”

Of course, Sarah didn’t mean everything she said, she was just going out of her way to embarrass her son, and succeeding. “That I don’t doubt.”

“I’ll hit him, if you want,” Hugh piped up, pulling his son into a headlock.

“Hush, Hugh. Leave the poor boy alone.” She turned back to Lafayette. “You two must be starving. The table’s already set up. I’ll join you two in a bit.”

He nodded and pulled Herc out of his father’s grip and into the kitchen. “I forgot how much I love your mom.”

Hercules sighed and sat with Lafayette. “I’ll always be five in her eyes. But, I was right, she adores you.” He kissed Lafayette’s cheek and held his hand. “You know, back in Ireland, nobody used to believe she was my mom until parents’ night. It was fun watching their reactions when they realized I wasn’t lying,” he chuckled. The shop may have been small there, but in Ireland, the name “‘Baire Mulligan ❤️’” was common in Ireland, particularly among teen girls and younger women.

Sarah danced into the kitchen, Hugh following close behind with a bright red face.

“Miss ma, dad?”

“Hush, you.” He sat at the table as Sarah placed their plates before sitting at her own seat.

“Oh, you boys,” she rolled her eyes. “Now, I want to hear everything. How’s your brother, Taffy?”

Lafayette smiled. “He’s doing great. He just started dating John last week. They’re more than happy together.”

“Is that so? I was going to ask how little Jackie was. Lord knows he needs a reason to smile more.”

“Mom,” Hercules chided softly. “John’s fine…”

“Oh, hush. The poor boy hardly smiled last time I saw him. He needs something positive in his life. And Ally’s no doubt a good force for him,” she smiled warmly. She meant well, but the fact that Hercules and Lafayette knew exactly why he needed that change made things a bit awkward. Thankfully, she dropped the topic. “You know, Taffy, I brought a few new designs home from Belfast, if you’d like to try them on.”

That helped Hercules perk up a bit. “You know Laf looks good in everything he wears.”

“Your designs look good on him, Herc. You know, you don’t give yourself enough credit, especially when it comes to Laf,” Hugh piped in.

“Oh, come on.. You know I’m not meant for the stage,” he chuckled awkwardly.

“Oh, hush, Herky. The designer is just as important as the model.”

Lafayette nodded. “What would a model be without the clothes that they show off? It’s in the name.”

Hercules’s shy nature caused him to smile shyly at his boyfriend’s reassurance, but Sarah smiled widely.

“I couldn’t agree more, Taffy. I would love to see you in the things that my baby designs for you. Maybe I can try a few myself.”

“It is my lucky night!” Hugh smiled.

Hercules rolled his eyes. “Settle down, Casanova.”

“You’re one to talk. I’ve seen some of your texts with Laf, all of your "I love you"s.”

Sarah chuckled. “Aw, Herky, you’re a romantic just like me. Now, don’t think you’re exempt.”

“Say what? No, no, that’s not for-”

“Oh, nonsense, you used to love dressing up when you were little. Where’s that photoalbum?” She rose to her feet as she finished eating and came back with a dusty album, wiping it off before sitting beside Lafayette, who looked more than eager to see it’s contents.

Hercules rose to his feet and began washing dishes with his father, trying to avoid the embarrassment to come.

The first few pictures show Hercules as a newborn cradled in Sarah’s arms. “Oh, look at him… He was so precious. He was a miracle.”

“You mean a surprise,” Hercules piped in.

“I mean a miracle. A pleasant surprise. He was such a stunner. His cheeky smile hasn’t changed a bit.”

A few pictures later showed infant Hercules in a teddy bear onesie and various other costumes.

“Oh, he was so adorable,” Laf cooed.

“He was! And he knew it. Just look at that smile.”

Hercules’s groaning was audible from the kitchen sink.

“Oh, you stop that! Look! Here you are making your first outfit.”

He shook his head. “That left much to be desired..”

“I think it’s cute. Not everyone is a master at the beginning. Remember when I was only starting to learn English?”

Hercules chuckled. “/That/ was adorable.”

“I could not communicate with you. It was dreadful. We’re not like John was with boxing.”

“Yeah.. He was a master at that from the start.”

Lafayette nodded.

Sarah smiled. “You all were definitely friends by fate. What are the odds that you all moved here one after another?” Of course, there was a year between each of them, as far as moving to New York, but it was fairly close. She yawned and glanced up at the clock. “Goodness, is that the time? I should be getting to bed.”

“It’s only 9, ma.”

“Jet lag, sweetie.” She rose to her feet and pulled Lafayette in for another hug, this one much more human. “It was great to see you, Taffy. You’d better come back soon.”

“Of course I will.” He smiled. “And I’ll bring the others with me, don’t worry.”

“You’d better!” And she disappeared up the stairs, Hugh following her.

Hercules sighed as he walked Lafayette to the front door. “My parents are one of a kind…” He grinned deviously as Lafayette walked out of the door and grabbed his wrist, pushing him against the wall and kissing him passionately, his tongue sliding against his lips and hand in his hair. When he pulled away, he kissed Lafayette’s nose. “I love you, baby..”

Lafayette, still in shock, leaned against the wall to hold up his own weight and nodded before stumbling to his car.

Hercules grinned victoriously and watched him before going inside and getting in bed.

By the time Lafayette got home, he finally regained his composure. He changed into his pajamas before texting Herc, laying with Rosie. [I see you’re stealing tips from John.] [I applaud you.]

[You’re more than welcome ;)] He smiled and went through the Facebook messages for the shop, reading through the requests. He tutted when he read one from Thomas Jefferson, but accepted it. [Jefferson’s in the shop tomorrow. Bleugh.]

Lafayette frowned. [That sucks. Want me to come over? You know I can kick his ass if I have to.]

[Only if you’re sure. You already deal with him in drama.] [I might kick his ass if he asks you to model anything, though.]

[I’ll beat you to it.] [Maybe John should come, too? You know he’s less hesitant about hurting him.]

[Good idea.] He switched to texting John. [Hey, Jefferson’s in the shop tomorrow. Care to join? Moral support?]

John groaned, cursed by his inability to sleep through his phone’s ringtone. He grabbed his phone and texted Herc back. [Yeah, sure, but what about Alex? I’m not letting him near Jefferson.]

Hercules pondered for a moment, then created a group chat labeled “Lex Protection Squad.” [Herc: So, Jefferson’s over tomorrow.] [Herc: John’s right; we cant really have Lex and dick-for-brains in the same place.] [Herc: He’s still sick though, right?]

Alexander mumbled incoherently in his sleep and buried his face into John’s side as text after text beeped through.

“I’m sorry..” John muttered, silencing his phone before responding. [John: Yeah, and with your spamming, he’ll stay sick, lol.]

Alexander whined. “Who are you texting this late?..” It was already almost 1 in the morning. Whether it was the sickness or sheer exhaustion, he clearly needed it.

“Just Herc. He accidentally texted me instead of Laf. Go back to sleep.”

He nodded. “Yes sir.. I love you..” And like that, Alexander was out like a light.

[Herc: Oops, sorry : P] [Herc: Normally, I’d say just be honest, but…]

[Laf: We know what you mean.] He yawned and checked the time. [Laf: It is getting late. We should get to sleep.]

[Herc: Alright. Goodnight.]

[John: Night.]

In the morning, Alexander was actually the first awake for once and John was alone when he woke up, tucked in as if he were a wrapped present.

Alexander joined him a few minutes later, a toothbrush in his mouth as he sat beside John. “Hey..”

“Hey.. Why are you up already?” John asked as he wrapped his arms around Alexander’s waist.

“I got sick again..” he responded as he ran his hand through John’s curls.

John nodded and sat up, stretching and quickly getting ready. When he got back, Alexander showed him a new text from Jefferson.

[You can still go through with this you know. Just meet me at the back of the school at the end of the day. Agree and I’ll leave John and Laf alone, baby. xx]

“He’s going to be hell for you and Laf today.. I’m sorry..”

“Don’t be. You know it’s not your fault and Laf and I can handle him.” He kissed his forehead, then went and fed Squirtle. “You won’t do anything he says, right?..”

Alexander waited until John was done feeding the terrapin and turned around before holding out his pinky. “I promise not to do anything if you promise not to get involved if a fight breaks out.”

John hesitated and shook his head. “I won’t get involved unless I think you’re getting hurt too badly.”

Alexander thought it over. It wasn’t unreasonable. He wasn’t exactly a great fighter… He nodded and linked his pinky with John’s. “I promise.”

“So do I.” He leaned down and pecked his lips.

Alexander smiled as he returned the kiss, then sighed. “Can’t I’d just puke on Jefferson?”

John chuckled and walked out of the room with him. “If you can time it so he says something gross and you puke on him, I would love you forever.”

“I’ll try.” He knocked on Lafayette’s door. “Are you driving in this morning?”

Lafayette opened the door, pushing Rosie back inside with his foot as he finished tying up his hair. “Yes, sorry. I woke up late.”

“Texting Herc at stupid o'clock,” Alexander rolled his eyes and chuckled.

The three went downstairs and got a quick breakfast, small enough that even Alexander could finish it, before heading to school.

When they got there, they all headed to class together, though Lafayette wouldn’t be joining them, and Alexander would’ve been lying if he said his sickness wasn’t making him weak. He stayed glued to John’s side and squeezed his arm as they saw Jefferson waiting outside of the classroom.

“Just the person I wanted to see. Did you get my text this morning?” he smirked at Alexander. “Are we doing this or what?”

Alexander shrunk down a bit and shook his head, John glaring at Jefferson and pushing Alexander behind himself defensively.

“Fine. Have it your way.” And, in the blink of an eye, he grabbed John by his ponytail and yanked him forward. “Alex made me do this,” he announced before throwing John to the ground, making him cry out as his nose slammed against the linoleum.

“No!” Alexander cried out as he ran to help him, Jefferson looking ready to kill him.

Lafayette grabbed Jefferson’s arm and turned him around before kneeing him in his crotch and shoving him down, kicking him in the gut. “That was such a cheap shot! You are a disgrace.” Before he could kick again, Jefferson scrambled to his feet, though he didn’t look very willing to keep fighting.

He just glared at Alexander. “Fuck you, Hamilton,” he hissed. “You’re going to pay for that.” He limped into class, sitting way in the back.

John sat up and took a deep breath through his nose. “I’m okay.. It just hurts..” He kissed Alexander’s cheek and stood up, fixing his hair.

Any other time, Alexander would’ve been crying. He saw John get hurt because of him. But, instead, he was completely blank. He allowed John to lead him into class and sat in the front with him, right in Adams’ line of sight as he walked in for class.

“… Alexander? …I received a call from your father this morning saying you wouldn’t be in. What are you doing here?”

“…Thomastriedtomakemehavesexwithhim.”

“.. Excuse me?..”

“Hesentmeabunchofabusivetextsandtriedtomakemegohomewithhim.”

“…come with me, Alexander.”

Alexander hesitantly pulled himself to his feet and glanced back at John one more time before heading out.


	26. Chapter 26

No, no, no. This was not supposed to happen. Thomas shot to his feet and moved to the seat beside John’s, leaning against his desk. “Call him back.”

John glared at him, his nose still bright red. “I don’t have to do anything you tell me. You’re finally getting what you deserve.”

Thomas’s blood ran cold. John’s stupid fear was going to ruin it all. “I said call him back..”

“Not happening.”

“Come on, Johnny, you’re overreacting.” He shifted to try being suave, his eyes half lidded. “I’m your Tom, remember?”

“That was in the past, Jefferson.”

He sighed and leaned back in his seat. “I don’t know what he has that I couldn’t give you. I was willing to bed him to get to you.”

“What’s so great about me? I’m not worth hurting all of these people for.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re the only guy that ever really cared about me. You think I’d ever forget that? I know you regret how you acted. You’re clearly only using Alex to get me jealous.”

John’s eyes went wide with shock. “What?”

“Oh, come on. He comes up and ruins your artwork and torments Lafayette and you actually like him? You knew I’d hurt him to get you back. Just drop the act.”

John scoffed. “You’re disgusting.”

Before either of them could say anymore, Adams came back in. “John, can you come with me?”

He’d never been so glad to see Adams. He grabbed his bag and followed him to the office. When he got there, he saw that Lafayette had also gotten pulled out of class and was sitting beside Alexander, who was very much panicking.

The second he noticed that John was there, he leapt up and wrapped his arms around him, burying his face in his chest.

John kissed his head and sat down with him, nodding as Adams said he’d called the Washingtons.

“Do your parents know what’s going on?..” Adams asked Lafayette.

“No.. We didn’t want them to make Alexander move again..” He glanced over at John and Alexander.

“I see,” he responded, somewhat disapprovingly. He knew he’d have to tell them everything he knew. “I’ll be right back.” He left the room.

“Mom and pop are going to break our necks, Laf..” Alexander joked weakly.

Lafayette nodded and sighed, leaning back in his chair.

“Hey, guys.. Sorry I’m late to the party,” Hercules announced as he walked in, sitting beside Lafayette. “Adams told me what happened..”

Eacker walked in, holding a few pamphlets in his arms. “Adams has a class… He came and got me. Here.” He handed them each a pamphlet.

“What are these?” Alexander asked.

“Just an offer. Believe it or not, we’ve got a school counselor,” he joked lightly. “If you ever feel like you can’t share something with your parents or with each other, this is a good next choice.”

Hercules and Lafayette had no real reason to see a counselor. Their only real problem was Jefferson and they were more open with their friends and with their parents.

Alexander flicked through the pamphlet, just in case. He at least wanted to have that option, in case he needed it.

John was visibly opposed to the idea. He held the pamphlet like it was a bomb and bit his tongue, slipping it onto an empty chair when nobody was watching.

“I think your parents just got here,” Eacker told them, looking outside. “John, Hercules, should I call your parents as well?”

“We’re fine,” Hercules answered for them both.

John nodded. “Yeah.. I’ll see you guys later.” He kissed Alexander goodbye before letting him leave.

Lafayette kissed Herc’s cheek before walking out, his head down as they got in the car.

As they got in, they felt tension so thick that even a knife couldn’t cut it. Nobody dared to speak for a few minutes, George breaking the silence.

“I don’t mind you two keeping secrets, but something this big?”

“We talked to each other,” Alexander began.

“After you almost went through with it,” Martha pointed out. “We trust you boys, really. Why didn’t you come to us?.. Especially you, Laf. I would’ve expected better from you.”

“It’s not Laf’s fault..” Alexander muttered. “He was the first one I told and the first thing he did was try to help me.”

“Alexander, you should’ve told us as soon as Thomas said anything about payment and nipped this in the bud.”

“i thought I could help him..”

“Help him what? Bully you and beat you?” George snapped as he pulled up at the house.

“… Fine. I won’t say.”

“Don’t shut us out, Alexander. We’re here to help you. I’m your father.”

“Only on my adoption papers.”

“In. Now.”

Alexander rolled his eyes and got out, Lafayette following him inside with his head down.

Martha sighed and sat across from them in the living room, trying to find a way to lower the tensions. “Alexander.. Maybe it’s best if you just explain everything. No interruptions, just explain.”

He nodded and began speaking as George sat down.  "…Thomas started flirting with me out of the blue in class. It made me really uncomfortable but I just blocked it out. Then Rosie got Pip… Laf told me what happened and I just freaked out. I got so angry and sad and I said a bunch of stuff I didn’t mean… S-so I just headed to class and started crying. Then Thomas pulled me into a hug to comfort me, I guess, and John’s friend, Maria, yanked me away and called John to come help me. I was angry at Laf and Herc because I thought they hated me and John was my only person to talk to. I told you, Martha, about Pip and Laf because I didn’t have anyone else. I know I should talk to you anyway, but that’s just how I felt… Laf saved my skin and took my place in the drama group when Thomas tricked me into joining, and I didn’t want him to bully Laf. And… And I was home sick so I guess I just had too much time to overthink it, but I thought that m-maybe Thomas just gets stupid angry spells like me. Like… like, when I lash out, it’s for dumb reasons too. And he hugged me so he couldn’t have been all bad, right? Or at least that’s what I thought. S-so I messaged him.“

Alexander seemed to tense up, holding himself stiff at this. ”…all I said was not to annoy Laf in drama. An-and he seemed like he was going to do what I said. I thought I was helping Laf and even just offering a voice of reason to Thomas. B-but then he flipped it and started saying th-that he needed something in return. I d-didn’t know what he meant at first, I promise. I only really picked up on it after a couple of messages back and forth. He wanted me to sit next to him in lunch, which I thought I could handle, but then he wanted me to go home with him and alarm bells went off. He wanted me to wear something ‘cute’ for the next day, s-so I was gonna ask Laf to borrow a skirt. I-I didn’t want to. I don’t want to wear dresses or skirts or anything b-but Thomas was threatening John’s safety and Laf’s safety and-and-and I d-didn’t want him to do anything stupid b-because of what he d-did to-“ he cut himself off, now hugging his arms and trembling.

"Th-then I had a fight with John yesterday because he wouldn’t st-stop prying to find out what was wrong with me and Laf butted in s-so I showed him my phone. He said he was g-gonna stop me going through with it and I was so scared of what Thomas would do so I tried to grab my ph-phone back and accidentally hit Laf an-and I’m really really s-sorry…” He whimpered painfully. “Herc grabbed me off of Laf and Laf kept my phone away from me til I calmed down. Th-then I showed John and promised him not to do anything with Thomas. B-but I wish I HAD done something with him because to-today he hurt John and I panicked an-and just blurted out wh-what Thomas tried to d-do to Adams th-then he took me away… and I th-think he called you after that.” Alexander finished his explanation, fighting back sobs and choking on sniffling. The room was silent other than that. “…s-say something. Any-anyone.”

Martha sighed, taking in everything she heard. “I’m not mad at you. He put you in a difficult position and with what happened with Lee in the past, I understand.” She turned to Laf. “Is that the only reason you’re in drama?..”

“No. I was going to join anyways, but after Thomas tricked Alexander like that, I had to help him.”

George was hesitant to say anything after what happened in the car, but he knew he had to. “We’re your family, Alexander. Blood or not. You must come to us with things like this in the future. And I’m proud of you for standing up for him, Laf. You two have gotten really close, which is why I won’t move you out of that school. Just try to avoid Jefferson.”

Alexander nodded. “After today, we all will..”

“Good. Now, let’s head into the kitchen for some lunch.

Lunch. That was the same place Hercules and John were heading to, after waiting in the office for a few hours.

"Are you okay, Jack? Like really this time?”

John sighed. What was the harm in telling Herc? “Kind of.. But you can’t tell Alexander anything and I’ll tell Lafayette on my own. Jefferson talked to me in first period, once Alexander was gone… He tried to seduce me into calling Alexander and asking him to keep his mouth shut, then was asking what Alexander had that he didn’t. He accused me of using Alexander to make him jealous and said he was trying to sleep with him just to get to me.. He wants me back..” He’d be lying if he said he never had feelings for Thomas, but that was long over.

Mentally, Herc’s jaw dropped, but he knew he had to keep calm outwardly. “Jack… It’s just like with Alex. You know he was in the wrong for listening to him. It would not have been a good idea. We all just want you safe, man.”

“I know… Thankfully, he’s not making me do anything,” not yet, at least, “he just wants to get back together with me. If he tries anything, I’ll tell you, but as long as it’s just words, no harm done, right?”

“I guess.. I’ll trust you not to do anything stupid,” he joked. “Just know we’ve got your back.”

He nodded. “I do want to try talking to him, maybe negotiate something. Nothing extreme, I promise. I know where to draw the line.”

“It’s your funeral,” he shrugged. Hercules didn’t feel like arguing with John, but he didn’t approve, either.

When they finally reached the cafeteria, the pair sat together and pulled out their lunches.

“What would you even say to him?” Herc asked.

John shrugged. “I won’t let him push me around, but I’ll try to be civil. Maybe I can get it through his head that we aren’t getting back together.”

“I don’t know, Jack.. You saw his texts with Alex. He’s far from reasonable.”

“I’m far from deaf, too.”

“What are you doing here?” Herc asked, glaring at him.

“There’s not an empty table in sight with these freshman. Plus, Adams said I should apologize.” He looked at John. “So, I’m sorry, Johnny,” he said, though his voice was dripping with sarcasm.

John rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you take that half-assed apology and shove it?”

“Why? Am I bothering you? Because as much grief as you and your little boytoy have caused me, I’d say you deserve it.” He took a bite of his pasta. “You know, it sucks that Laf won’t be in. Looks like I’ll have to find someone else to grind on me.”

Herc clenched and unclenched his fists under the table and John took notice, giving him a look asking him to leave. Nothing good would come out of him losing his temper, no matter how much Jefferson deserved it. He got to his feet and walked away, sitting far enough to where they couldn’t tell he was watching, but close enough to where he could.

In the meantime, he decided to finally respond to Lafayette’s text reading [What happened after we left? Are you guys just back in class?]

[We stayed in the office until lunch. Adams made Thomas 'apologize’ and it was dreadful. So not looking forward to later]

[That’s awful.. I don’t know if I can go. Alex would probably want to join and I don’t know what I’d say.]

[That’s fine, John’s going.] He glanced up for a second, then looked back down. [Gotta go, but I’ll message you later. I love you <3]

[Love you too <3]

“So, you wanted to talk to me? Like I said, I’m not deaf.”

“I want you to stop bugging my friends and I want to know what it’ll take.”

Thomas smirked and shrugged. “You know my price, Johnny.”

“Not happening.”

“Fine. You’re the one who wanted to strike a deal. Don’t snap at me for something you refuse to do.” He stood up and grabbed his designer backpack, leaning down towards John. “You know, Lucy really misses you. You should come by sometime. Then I could show you what you’re missing.”

“Ahem,” Hercules cleared his throat, standing behind Thomas.

“I’ll see you later, Johnny. Think it over.” He winked at him and walked off.

“You okay?” Hercules asked once he was out of earshot.

“Yeah.. He’s not budging. He has the same conditions for leaving us alone and I’m not going to take it.” He sighed.

“The guy’s libido has no limits,” he commented.

“Trust me, I know.” He rolled his eyes. He groaned as the bell rang and got up, heading to class.

Since that morning, rumors began spreading about Jefferson and Alexander, which the latter took notice of as he looked through his Facebook and saw a lot of friend requests from people who he didn’t even know. He only added a couple of people whose names he remembered from class, a John Jay and an Aaron Burr. Aaron Burr.. That name seemed like more than just a regular classmate. Right! He was in the political debate society. Adams liked bragging about him when he talked about it. So, he messaged him. [Who dis?]

He received a response almost immediately. [Aaron Burr. I’m in the political debate society and I received word from Hercules Mulligan that you are interested in joining.] [Is this the right person?] [If so, I heard about your situation with Thomas Jefferson and I understand if this is a bad time.]

[no, im fin, we can tak.] [gez, it sems lik ery1 herd bout tat] [i typed a few pags alrdy] He attached a word file that he’d been working on and sent it to Aaron.

“Oh, wow..” he muttered to himself as he read it through. [It’s very well written, much more eloquent than your texts.]

Alexander rolled his eyes. [rude] [If one would prefer I used only the most eloquent and formal salutations and felicitations, I would be far from disgruntled to comply.] [orrrr I can sav tim nd typ lik i normaly do]

Aron raised an eyebrow. [Well, other than your horrid texting, you don’t seem too bad. And your idea is definitely an interesting one, though I can’t say it’ll be an easy task.]

[grat! mbe we can met up 2moro at lnch?]

[Sounds good.]

[cul, i ges il c u then, sins ur in clas.]

And Aaron stopped responding. So, Alexander got up and made his way to Lafayette’s room, finding that he was just coming upstairs and to his room.

“Hey, Laf, can you help me pick out some clothes? I’m meeting up with Aaron Burr tomorrow at lunch and I want to look formal.”

He smiled. “Of course I can.” He followed him to his room and looked through his clothes once he let him.

Alexander smiled and bounced from foot to foot excitedly. “You know… The main reason I want to talk to him isn’t really the debate society..”


	27. Chapter 27

“I want to make a campaign for an art class at school, for John. I know we’re seniors, but I think it’d mean a lot for him… When we were talking, he told me about how he hates that there’s no art program and that the only reason he really accepts those commissions at school is to add some color.“

Lafayette smiled and pulled out an outfit. "I think that would be a sweet thing to do for him. I don’t doubt that he’d love it.” He showed him the blue shirt that he wore to the art gallery and a pair of dark jeans. “How’s this? This is your only formal shirt. Maybe with some Converse?”

“That’s fine.” He nodded. “Thanks, Laf.” He paused for a second. “Hey.. Do you want to hang out? We could watch a movie or play some GTA or something.”

Lafayette smiled widely. Alexander never asked to hang out before. “That sounds great. You can choose whatever we do.”

Alexander nodded. “Well.. We can watch Heathers? I’ve got a lot of bootlegs on my laptop.”

“That sounds great! Or, maybe… Have you ever watched Sweeney Todd? I found a professional recording of it.”

Lafayette? The guy who spoiled his kitten and wore bows in his hair when he was younger, like Sweeney Todd? Alexander supposed he shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. After all, most people probably wouldn’t have guessed that he was a Heathers fan. “I’ve only seen the movie, but sure.”

He scrunched up his nose. “The movie is nowhere near as good as the live performance that I have, in my opinion.”

“Okay, I’ll take your word on it.”

Lafayette smiled and went to his room, crouching down as he opened the door and cooing at Rosie. “Hi, baby! I’m here early!”

Rosie bounded across the room to Lafayette excitedly, like it was the first time she’d seen him in years. She leaped up so quickly, she tripped over the edge of her basket with a little thud on the floor. Not that it stopped her dashing however. Lafayette hadn’t had Rosie particularly long, but she already knew who her ‘parent’ was. She purred against his leg affectionately.

He smiled and pet between her ears, then scooped her up, kissing the top of her head. “I missed you too. Let’s go hang out with Alex.”

She meowed in response and watched as Lafayette grabbed his laptop, bringing it to Alexander’s room.

He sat down beside him and put on the musical, smiling as the music began. “Do you mind if I bring Rosie here?..”

“No, of course not, as long as I can hold her.”

“Oh, of course.” Lafayette handed her over and she purred just as affectionately as Alexander held her.

Alexander hardly paid attention to the show, too busy playing with the tiny kitten in his lap and listening to Lafayette hum along. He really was talented and there was no surprise that he was going to star in the school musical, though it did surprise him to hear for himself just how high Lafayette’s voice went. “So, why is everyone so chill about all of the death?”

Lafayette chuckled. “Well, if you were actually paying attention, you would know that these two, Sweeney Todd and Mrs Lovett, are the only ones that even know about it. Sweeney’s obviously the murderer and his victims are used in her pies.”

“Well, I’m sorry your fluffy heathen is toying with my heart.”

“Meow!”

“Yeah, you.”

He chuckled, then grinned. “So, what you’re saying is… Their pies are to die for?”

He rolled his eyes at the awful pun. “Yes, I guess you could say that.” He smiled. “The ones made with priests are heavenly. The lawyers are nice, if they’re for a price. And Beadle isn’t bad 'til you smell it and notice how well its been greased. My advice is to stick to priest.” Of course, Lafayette was quoting the pun filled song, “A Little Priest,” but Alexander clearly wouldn’t have known that.

And, as expected, Alexander broke into a fit of giggles at the pun. After all of the drama of the past few days, he was able to just laugh and be happy and it only helped that he was eating better and that he actually took his medicine.

Lafayette was more than glad to see him so happy.

But he knew things could’ve been better. He pulled out his phone and texted John, who should’ve just been getting off of school. [hEy!] [todays not been 2 sucky] [watchin musikals w/Laf] [wana join? iv got a cuddle heer w/ your naem onit ;*]

John sighed as he read the text, walking with Herc to the shop. [Sorry, I wish I could, but I got detention : (] [Adams made Jefferson 'apologize’ and I told him to fuck off.] [I’ll try to go afterwards, I promise.] [I love you.]

“Are you sure you’re up for this?.. I won’t be offended if you’re not.”

“I’ll be fine.” He looked at his phone as Alexander responded.

[awwww :( remind me 2 beet his ass wen im bac in] [i love u too <3] Alexander sighed and looked at Lafayette. “He’s got detention. Because of stupid Jefferson, too. I hate that guy.”

[I won’t, but I’ll happily beat his ass for you.]

Alexander smiled a bit at the response. “Well… At least we can still watch musicals. Oh! I have an idea.” He reached down and grabbed a box from under his bed. At first glance, it looked like a normal box of mementos and pictures… Then he pulled out a bottle of vodka. “Don’t tell mom and pop.”

Lafayette chuckled and shook his head. “As fun as that sounds, going to school hungover doesn’t.”

Alexander tutted. He knew Lafayette was right. “Okay. Let’s watch Be More Chill.”

John sighed as he dropped his bag behind the till in the shop, watching Herc get ready. “Alright, I’m already ready for this to be over,” he half-joked.

“Me too. Last chance, John. You don’t have to be here.”

He shook his head. “I want to.”

“Okay..” Herc sighed as he heard the unmistakable bell ring and turned to see Jefferson walk in with his friend, John Jay. He’d only really seen him around Jefferson and knew he was a shy guy.

John slipped into the big, spinning chair behind the till and turned away from everyone, simply listening as Hercules worked with them.

“What are you looking for?” Hercules droned.

“Where’s your usual pep, Mulligan?” Thomas teased.

“What can I do for you today, gentlemen?” Hercules added, voice dripping with optimistic sarcasm. John Jay snickered.

“Prom suits.” Thomas replied with a little grumble.

“Er, nothing flashy…” John added, causing Thomas to tut.

“ONLY flashy, JJ…” Thomas corrected him.

Hercules rolled his eyes and let the pair watch as he picked out a suit, able to tell their sizes at a glance.

“I like that one,” Jay told him.

Hercules nodded and gave him the one he was referring to.

John Jay thanked him and walked towards the back, following his directions to the changing room. “Hi, John.” He realized that he shouldn’t have said that only after he saw him cringe. “Sorry..”

“It’s fine..”

Jay ducked into the changing room as Thomas grinned over at John as he turned around, figuring there was no point in hiding anymore.

“Just the babe I wanted to see. Still have my number?”

John ignored him, putting in his earphones, and Hercules tried to distract him.

“If by flashy, you mean glitz and glam, we’ve got an array of sequined suits-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, so Johnny, tell me-”

“As well as matching ties, bows and shoes that go well with them-”

“That’s nice. Baby, why don’t you-”

“And to top it off, we’ve got a sale on matching cuff links and ties, so you could even match them up for a reduced price-”

“Hey Jerkules, I’m trying to talk to-”

“There’s also tailed suits and with matching heels, if you’re into that sort of thing as well.”

Thomas looked like he was going to smack Hercules, like steam would start pouring out of his ears in frustration. “..I want a model.” He gritted.

“Hmm… let’s see… there’s just me running the shop today… and I’m a completely different size to you… so I guess there’s none available.” He hummed. The most frustrating thing was Hercules was technically not doing anything. Sure, he was being a bit more brash than usual, but all he was doing was selling. Thomas wouldn’t even be able to leave a bad review.

“..what do you think?” Jay asked nervously as he returned from the changing room. Hercules certainly had a talent for picking the right outfit for the right person. The pale blue matched Jay’s aesthetic perfectly. Even the size was dead on flawless. Jay looked pretty charming… unlike his friend who looked like he’d erupt at any moment.

“Looks great.” Hercules smiled… somewhat cheekily. He was going to milk the moment. “I was /just/ saying to Thomas how we have a sale on matching cuff links and ties if you wanted to look at those.”

Jay opened his mouth to answer but shut it when he caught sight of Thomas’ glaring. “…s'fine.” He concluded instead.

Thomas pushed passed Hercules as to stand over John, yanking out his headphone. “If you want to strike a deal, then you have to talk to me.” He snapped. “Or should I discuss it with Alex instead?”

“…who’s Alex?” Jay queried, raising a brow.

“The guy I added on your Facebook earlier.”

John flinched and sighed, shoving his phone into his pocket and snatching his headphones back from Thomas. “First of all, ouch. I don’t appreciate you yanking my earphones out. Second,” he looked over at Jay and smiled. “You look good, Jay. That’s definitely your color.” He gave him a thumbs up, then turned back to Thomas. “Third of all, if you even want to /think/ about ever having me back, you will not lay a hand on Alex. Or Laf. Or Herc. Overall, don’t get your hopes up. You’re still the last person I’d ever sleep with.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned farther back in his chair. “Didn’t you want a model or something?”

Thomas nodded. “Well, can’t go to prom without a prom date.”

“No. You already tortured Laf enough.”

Thomas rolled his eyes at Hercules’s protests. “Oh, come on. You know this place can’t survive without me.”

Hercules hated to admit it, but he knew he was right. As popular as his parents were in Ireland, almost none of that was in New York. Just a few bad reviews and the shop would have to shut down, sending them back to Ireland.

Jay shifted his weight from foot to foot awkwardly, just trying to avoid the conflict that was brewing. Sure, he knew what Thomas was capable of, but that didn’t mean he was like him. “Maybe some of those suits over there?..” He pointed at a rack.

John sighed. “I offered. I’ll do it. Thanks, Jay.” He gave him a small smile, then returned to glaring at Thomas. “I don’t know why he hangs out with you. He’s way too nice for you.”

Thomas rolled his eyes. Jay was a nice guy, he knew that, and he wasn’t going to drag him into this.

Hercules led him away and John stood up.

“Alright. What am I trying on first?”

“Let’s see..” He went to the racks and picked out a light pink tux, one that looked just a size smaller than John. “Try this.”

“Whatever.” He took the suit and went to the changing room, glad that it fit him right. He went back out and stood on the pedestal.

Thomas lit up at the sight, especially knowing that John was in no position to do anything about it. He stepped towards him and straightened out the suit a bit, then cupped John’s cheek. “You know, last time I got this close to you, you punched me.” He almost looked sincere.

But John knew better. “You earned it.”

“Yeah, yeah. Go change.” He gave John another outfit, this time a dress.

He tutted and took it, going to the dressing room and getting changed. He came back out after a few minutes in the deep pink, knee length dress and distracted himself by wondering how many sequins were even on the dress as Thomas approached him again.

“Don’t you look adorable?” he hummed. “You should wear some more dresses. Speaking of which,” he gave John another hanger. “Try this on for size.”

John rolled his eyes and changed into the dress, which was noticeably tighter. He was doing this for Alexander, he reminded himself, the same Alexander who was texting him.

[hey! me n laf r watin]

[Sorry, but I have something to take care of with Madison. I’m already out. : (] [I’ll text you when I can see you, I’m sorry.]

[Aw, tat suks : (]

He went back out, clutching the light blue and jeweled fabric, and stood on the pedestal, blushing and hoping that his boxers were high enough to not be noticed.

“Phone away. Alexander isn’t here. It’s just you and me.”

John tutted and put his phone down.

“Good boy.”

Across the shop, John Jay and Herc were just finishing up.

“Thanks for everything, Herc.”

“Just doing my job.” He smiled, then glanced up and frowned at John and Thomas. “Aw, Jack..” he muttered.

Jay glanced over as well and frowned. “Hey, Thomas, my mom’s expecting me home soon. You’re my ride home, maybe we should go..”

Thomas shook his head. “Just one more, JJ.”

“Come on, Thomas. You’re not even looking at any suits.”

“Alright, fine.” He sighed and went to Herc, paying for his time, before going back and getting his coat, smacking John’s behind as he passed by.

John jumped and ducked into the changing room, quickly getting back into his own clothes, and sitting against the wall.

“Get out of here, pervert,” Hercules grumbled at Thomas.

“Same time next week?” he smirked.

“Let’s just go, Thomas..” Jay muttered, walking out with him.


	28. Chapter 28

Herc looked at John sympathetically as he dragged himself out of the dressing room. “I’m sorry, Jack… I shouldn’t have left you alone with him.”

“No.. I’m fine. Just can’t believe I ever dated that guy sometimes.” He sighed and plopped back down in the chair before announcing. “I’ve been thinking about getting a piercing. Or a tattoo. Something crazy.”

Hercules laughed at the sudden absurdity, keeping an eye out as customers came into the shop. “Go nuts. I almost got my ears pierced a while back, but I chickened out.”

John nodded. “Hopefully I wouldn’t.”

Hercules nodded and stood up straight, smiling as a customer came up to the counter.

She smiled at John as Hercules rang up her items, eyeing him up and down. “You’re pretty cute.”

Hercules chuckled and bagged her items, handing them to her after she paid. “Trust me, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

John, the oblivious gay, just looked between the two blankly, trying to figure out what was happening.

“Oh..” she muttered and went red. “Sorry.” She took her things and left.

“You don’t even like girls and you get their attention more than Thomas.”

“What?.. Oh! Was she flirting with me?”

Hercules laughed. “You’re so gay.”

He chuckled awkwardly, then sighed. “Yeah, I know.” He checked his phone as it vibrated, then smiled. “I have to get home. I need to babysit for Maria.”

“Have fun.”

John nodded and left, walking home.

Lafayette pulled up outside of a nearby gas station and went inside, grabbing a slushie for him and his brother while he waited with Rosie in the car.

Alexander smiled and pulled out his phone, opening Snapchat and taking a picture with Rosie. [Got a bf nd i still get pussy]

John posted a picture in response to Alexander’s, the picture featuring him holding a three year old and kissing her cheek. [Got a bf and I still spend all this time with my baby girl <3] He messaged Alexander. [Hey, I’m back at my apartment with Maria’s daughter, as you see.]

Alexander smiled brightly and responded. [i c that] [she’s almos as cute as u <3]

John chuckled and put her down, letting her color. [Doubt that, but okay.]

Lafayette slid back into the car, putting his phone in his pocket. “How dare you use my daughter for such an obscene joke.”

He shrugged. “She made me, Laf. She insisted that I did it.”

“Uh huh. Sure.” He smiled and drove them to the park.

Alex responded to John’s text with a picture of Lafayette sipping his slush as he drove. [Im wit tis bby grl. dont tink i can lift her]

Lafayette pulled up at the park and let Alexander walk Rosie on the harness that he got for her, glad he made sure she wouldn’t be able to slip out of it. As soon as they got out of the car, she began sniffing around a bit, though was mostly interested in watching pigeons flying. And a few other birds, Alexander noted.

“Those are wagtails. They bounce around like that to make worms think it’s raining so they come up and they can eat them.” He smiled as he watched them bounce around, their tails bobbing behind them. “They’re called wagtails for obvious reasons.”

Lafayette nodded. “You always did have a love for birds.”

“They do have fun Wikipedia pages when I’m home and George takes my Xbox away.” He smiled as he got a response form John.

[She’s cute, I guess, but my baby gets a makeover from her Uncle Johnny <3] [Laf should be jealous.] He sent her a picture of the same baby with her makeup done.

Alexander smiled. “John says you should be jealous.” He showed him the picture. “I’m dating a dork.”

Lafayette smiled. “I hope you are not just now realizing that. He’s especially dorky around kids. And she does look cute.”

Alexander nodded and responded. [she luks cute, unkle johnny ; P]

[So do I.] He sent a picture of both of them, now with his own makeup done. [Maybe you could come over and I can do your makeup, too, though I wouldn’t be able to make you any cuter.]

Alexander practically squeaked with delight as John responded. “Johnwantsmeover- I mean..” He looked up at Lafayette, smiling sheepishly. “Would you mind?..” He didn’t want Laf to think he was just second best, that he only wanted to be with him when he couldn’t be with John.

“No, that’s completely fine.” He smiled. “You haven’t seen him all day. I’d ask you the same if Herc asked me to hang out.”

Alexander smiled. “Thank you.”

Lafayette tugged at Rosie’s leash, watching as she leaned forward, more interested in the wagtails. “Come on, Rosie.”

She let out a disgruntled mewl, but listened and followed them back to the car.

“You know, I just realized,” Lafayette began as he got in, “I don’t know where John lives.”

“Oh, right. I can tell you which way to-” He was cut off as Rosie jumped over the gear stick and across his lap, escaping through his open door. “I got it!” He jumped out of the car and followed the kitten, who was now more focused on terrorizing a squirrel than her frantic owners. Alexander watched as the squirrel began climbing a tree and hoped that it would discourage the kitten, but no luck. She scaled the tree right behind him, climbing to the highest branches and chasing the squirrel off the end of one of them before finally realizing that it was gone. She sat there on that top branch and licked her paw, completely unaware of what was happening below.

“I should’ve been watching her more closely, I can’t believe I let her do this, how am I going to get her d- What are you doing?” Lafayette had been so busy panicking, he hadn’t had much time to notice Alexander pulling off his hoodie and scaling the tree himself.

“I’ll be right back,” he responded simply as he climbed, his speed being rather impressive. He eventually reached that top branch and carefully placed himself near the trunk before leaning forward and reaching out, grabbing Rosie’s harness and pulling her back, much to her displeasure. “Yeah, yeah.” He sighed and looked back down at Lafayette, going a bit dizzy. Had he always been that high? “Uh.. Are you any good at catching, Laf?..”

“You’d better not jump! Um… Do you think you can climb down if she’s out of your hands?”

Alexander thought for a second and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Okay.. This may not work..” he muttered to himself before calling out. “Rosie! Come here, love!”

She may not have listened to Alexander, but she loved Lafayette. Though, instead of climbing down, she leaped out of Alexander’s arms, landing safely in Lafayette’s open ones.

He quickly put her in his hoodie pocket and tied her leash around one of his belt loops as he watched Alexander climb down, ready to catch him if he had to.

Alexander took a deep breath and began climbing back down, one branch at a time at a steady pace. All seemed well, until a branch snapped beneath his foot. He gasped and clung to the tree trunk, wincing as the broken end dug into his leg, piercing his skin. “Ow, ow, ow, ow..” he whimpered, before taking a deep breath. After all, it was still a long way down. He regained his composure and continued climbing until he was where he started, just a few feet up, and hopped down, Lafayette catching him and managing not to crush Rosie.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry! She’s my kitten, I should’ve gone after her instead of panicking.”

“Laf, it’s,” he looked down at the blood on his jeans and gulped, “just a little cut.. I’ll be fine..”

Lafayette sighed and took him back to the car, supporting most of his weight. “I’m still sorry… I’ll take you home and fix your leg, then take you to John’s.”

Alexander nodded and let Lafayette help, sighing as they got in the car.

Rosie curled up in his lap, evidently tuckered out from her criminal actions, and Alexander simply allowed it, taking the situation well.

Before, he would’ve screamed at Lafayette for letting him fall or making him go after her, but he was acting pretty much reasonably right now. It was all the more proof that Alexander was a changed man. He got out his phone and texted John as Lafayette drove them home. [il b ther swn. gota go hoem frst] [may b bleadin, but dnt wory] [im ok. lafs here] [rosy is a demon in kiten from hel] His writing somehow seemed to be a bit more appalling than usual, the pain distracting him.

[What happened? Are you okay?]

[i piked a fite w/ a three nd lost] [il explane wen im @ urs] [dnt panik] [pls]

[A three?] It took John a few seconds to get it. [You fell out of a tree?!]

Lafayette arrived at their house and took Alexander inside to the bathroom, giving him some painkillers before rolling up his pants and fixing up his wound, cleaning it and putting a bandage on it. “Is that better?..”

Alexander stood up, wincing as he put weight on his bad leg, but nodding. “Yeah, that’s better. Thanks, Laf.”

“Anytime.”

Alexander limped back to his room and began packing a bag for things he’d need to stay over at John’s apartment: a change of clothes, his books, his laptop, Rosie, his headphones- “Oh no you don’t! You’ve cost me enough trouble today.” He grabbed Rosie and took her out of his bag before zipping it up and slinging it over his shoulder, grabbing his phone. [no, i rely hat mats] [yes i ment tree] He chuckled to himself and followed Lafayette back down to his car. [im on my way, c u sun <3]

[Learn to spell so I can read your texts : P]

Alexander smiled and got in the car with Lafayette, giving him directions to the apartment as he texted. [m4b3 i sh0d tip3 l1k3 d1s 1nst3d] [w@ d0 u th1nk?]

[I think your typing just gave me an aneurysm : P]

He chuckled, then looked up at Lafayette. “Hey.. Do I look okay?.. Like John was with Madison and he dresses smart, so I just want to.. you know?..”

Lafayette nodded. “You look fine. Don’t worry. You and I both know that John loves you and not Madison, anyways. He loves you for you and you are the one who makes him happy.” He pulled up at John’s building. “Go hang out with your dorky boyfriend.”

Alexander smiled and leaned across the seat, giving him a hug. “Thanks, Laf.. I needed that.” He smiled at him as he pulled away and got out, heading up to the gate and pressing the buzzer for John’s apartment. “Delivery! One sappy boyfriend here for a weirdo.”

John laughed as he heard the message and got up, responding before buzzing him in. “Great! I’ve been waiting forever. I don’t have any money. I hope you accept payment in cuddles and kisses.”

Alexander smiled and went in, heading over to John’s apartment and hugging him as he let him in.

“Hey! I’ve missed you all day. Come in.” He smiled and closed the door behind him, the toddler on the floor looking up at the stranger. “Alexander, this is Maria’s daughter, Susan. Susie, this is my boyfriend, Alexander.”

She smiled and waved. “You can call me Susie, too!”

Alexander nodded and looked between the two, feeling incredibly under dressed. John looked amazing with the makeup and Susie was no less than adorable. “Hi, Susie. You can call me Alex. John was telling me how great you looked with your makeup, but I didn’t expect you to be so beautiful.”

She smiled widely. “Thank you! He made me pretty, like my mommy. He can make you prettier, too!”

Alexander may not have been one for such feminine things, but he would’ve had to have been a monster to turn down such an offer. “How could I turn down an offer like that?”

John shook his head and knelt down to Susan’s level. “I think he’s just saying yes to be polite. Some people don’t like makeup, okay?”

“Okay.”

He smiled and kissed her cheek, then looked up at Alex. “Sorry.. She’s three. She’s excitable.”

“It’s fine. Thanks.”

“No problem.” He got up as the buzzer rang again, this time there being an actual pizza delivery. “I’ll be right back.” He left and got the pizza, Susie showing Alexander her coloring pages in the meantime.

He joined her in the kitchen and sat beside her at the counter. “Whatcha coloring?”

“My mommy as a princess! Johnny said that she’s too pretty for a princess to look like her in my coloring book, so he drew her for me.” He showed him the Disney princess style Maria Lewis in the sketchbook that seemed to be filled with similar drawings for her. “Johnny always makes coloring books for me.” She smiled and flipped to another page, this one with John as a Disney prince, and showed her. “I asked him to draw this one because he’s my prince.”

Alexander smiled and looked at the drawings in awe, once again amazed at John’s artwork, this time in the variety of styles he could draw in. He was so amazed that he didn’t even notice John coming back in with the food. “John’s my prince, too. He’s my knight in shining armor with a heart of gold.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” John said as he placed a plate in front of Alexander.

“Shhiiii-ugar. Sugar. Oh, gosh.” Even Alexander knew better than to curse in front of small children. “Looks like his highness has arrived.”

“I thought you were my prince!” Susie whined as she finished giggling.

“I am! I’m your prince and Alexander’s and my sisters’.”

“Oh. Okay.” She smiled and began eating, John sitting across the counter from the pair and doing the same.

Alexander stared at his piece, wishing it wasn’t so hard for him to eat, especially in front of little Susie. He decided to distract them both from it. “Hey, Susie, want to see a trick?” He smiled and showed her his tongue, which was bright blue from his slushie earlier.

Susie giggled loudly when she saw. “How did you do that?”

“A magician never reveals his secrets.” He smiled and began eating his pizza, taking a few small bites.

After everyone finished eating, John scooped up Susie. “It’s getting late. Time for you to get ready for bed.”

“But I want to stay with Alex,” she whined.

“I know, but you have to sleep if you want to grow up and be a big girl. I promise you’ll see him again.”

“Okay..”

John smiled and took her to the bathroom, giving her a bath and dressing her in pajamas before letting her take over his bed for the night. When he was done with that, he went back to Alexander and sat on the couch with him, pulling him close.

 

 


	29. Chapter 29

“Alright. My princess is in bed. Now I can focus on my prince.”

Alexander smiled and shifted so he was sitting between John’s legs. “Rosie tried to kill me earlier. I had to chase her up a tree and I cut my leg climbing down.”

“Oh, that sucks.” John tutted.

“Yeah, but Lafayette helped me patch it up. It’s fine.”

“That’s good.” He smiled and cupped his cheek, then sighed. “How was your day otherwise?..”

“Fine. Ma and pop chewed me out for not saying something earlier, but they get it. He was threatening you guys and it all happened so quickly.. Then, after, I had most of a sandwich and hung out with Laf and we just talked and watched musicals and talked some more.” He sighed. “I need to make up how I’ve been treating him all these years… I know I couldn’t help it, but I feel like that’s no excuse because he’s always just so nice to me and I always used to just treat him like crap..”

“I’m sure he understands. I think you should, too, but I don’t think he’s mad about it.”

He nodded slowly and leaned up, kissing John for the first time without feeling guilt or desperation or need in days. His leg was hurt and he still had a long way to go as far as food, but he couldn’t have been happier in that moment. And if his campaign for an art class went well, things were going nowhere but up. He smiled into the kiss and pulled away after a few seconds. “I’m not going to be able to eat lunch with you tomorrow.. I have to meet with Aaron Burr about the debate society. Do you know him?”

John thought for a second, then nodded. “Yeah, I know him. He keeps to himself.”

“He seems kind of narcissistic to me, but I can’t really say since I haven’t actually met him yet.”

“He’s not. Just witty.”

“Okay. Well, wish me luck then,” he chuckled.

John smiled and nodded, then bit his lip for a second. “Hey.. Jefferson didn’t text you again, did he?.. Because he was picking on me and Herc at lunch and I just want to be sure.”

Alexander sat up properly, his smile falling. “No, I haven’t heard a thing from him. Are you okay?”

John nodded and wrapped his arms around Alexander’s shoulders to help calm him back down. “I was just making sure. Everything’s okay, I promise.”

“Okay..” He sighed. “That guy’s a jerk… I almost wish I’d never met him..” He smiled after a few seconds. “But, then again, I never would’ve gotten interested in meeting the cute kid that saved me.”

John nodded, though his mind was clearly elsewhere.

Alexander frowned. A comment like that normally would’ve ended with John kissing him mercilessly. There had to be something wrong.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. He’s a jerk. He’s most of the reason I hate this time of year..”

This time of year? That was Alexander’s answer! John missed his mom. Maybe he just needed to vent. “What was your mom like?.. Like, I’m sure she was lovely, but I want to hear more about her.”

John was surprised by the sudden question, unable to know what motivated him to ask, but smiled all the same as he thought about her. “She was great.. She would always take me and Martha out to the woods and she helped me learn how to take care of her because I wanted to help and she encouraged whatever I did.” He sighed contently. “Why do you ask?”

Alexander shrugged and moved his hands up, cupping John’s face and wiping away the tears that he didn’t even notice were there. “You just seemed like you’re hiding something.. You don’t have to pull an Alex and bottle it up,” he joked lightly. “I miss my mom, too.”

John smiled and brought Alexander’s hand to his lips, kissing it. “I hate that this is something we have in common..”

“Me too.. I was 14 when I was adopted and I think I was 12 when I lost her?.. I think.. I know it was in summer.. June, July, somewhere around there.” He sighed. “She would always manage to get me a ball or a yo-yo for my birthday.. And we’d always go out and look at the birds fly around.” He frowned and wrapped his arms around John’s shoulders, hugging him as tightly as he could, John returning the affection. After a minute, he looked up at John and chuckled quietly. “Your makeup..”

John smiled. “I figured.. I’ll be right back. Then we can cuddle and watch movies until Maria comes for Susie.”

Alexander nodded and watched John leave with a sigh.

John cleaned his face off with a makeup wipe and changed into comfy clothes before going back and laying with Alexander on the couch.

The second that he did, Alexander attached himself to John’s side, his head resting in his neck and his arms wrapped around the bottom of his chest. “I want to meet your family.. I want to meet Mary and Martha and learn which one’s which,” he joked.

John laughed. “If you’re struggling with them, I can’t wait until you meet Henry Jr and James, the identical brothers.”

“As long as I know which one you are, I’m fine,” Alexander laughed. “Seriously, I want to make a good impression. Besides a guy who can’t spell, I don’t know what they think of me.”

“They’re going to love you as you are. Trust me.”

Alexander nodded, then looked up at John, admiring how perfect his face was even without the makeup. Especially without the stuff covering his freckles. And then there were his eyes, radiant even in the dim light of the room. “You don’t know how beautiful you are..” he hummed before kissing John softly.

John smiled into the kiss as he returned it, his hand cupping Alexander’s face. He absolutely adored him and adored the affection almost as much, the innocent love behind every kiss, every hug, everything between them.

Alexander smiled as he pulled away, a hint of mischief lingering on his lips. “Yeah, but I’m the better kisser,” he teased.

Naturally, John had to tease back. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe you are the better kisser. I’m ashamed of my lesser kissing skills.”

Alexander snickered and leaned in for another kiss, though John tilted his head away as their lips brushed together.

“No, you shouldn’t be kissed by such unworthy lips.”

Alexander pouted for a second then grinned. He rolled over so he was hovering over John, a hand on either side of his head leaving him with nowhere to turn. “You’re not unworthy. You just need some teaching is all.” He leaned down so close that he felt John’s breath on his lips. “We’ll just have to find an expert.”

John blushed brightly, though he was not one to give in so easily. “And where exactly would I find one of these expert kissers?” he asked as he raised his arms, wrapping them around Alexander’s neck.

Alexander held his smirk for a few more seconds, but this wasn’t how the pair would normally behave and he knew it, his smirk giving out to a childish grin and a few giggles. “I might no someone,” he giggled out before finally pressing his lips to John’s, a bit of hiccuped laughter escaping him.

John smiled and continued to tease him. “What’s so funny? Am I that amateur of a kisser?” He attempted to pout, but it gave away to a childish grin and he just kissed Alexander again. “I have to admit, you are the best kisser I know out of a grand total of two.”

Alexander rolled his eyes playfully. “Oh, please. You’re definitely the best kisser I’ve ever met. Which, by the way, is a grand total of you.” He burst into giggles again and continued kissing John. As he did, he shifted his weight onto one arm and let the other move down and rest beneath John’s shirt, on his waist. He pulled away and asked with a serious expression, “Red, yellow, or green?”

“What?..” It took John a second to realize he meant his hand. “Oh. Green.” He recognized the question system from somewhere online, a stop light version of a safe word, so to speak.

“Green. Good.” Alexander nodded. Experimenting was good, but, especially with John, pushing limits was a big no. Still.. “I have no idea what I’m doing..” he admitted sheepishly.

“That’s fine. Neither do I.” John smiled softly. There was no denying that John was a bit more experienced and, therefore, a bit less nervous, but he was still fairly new at anything more than kisses. “Don’t worry, you know I’d tell you the second I didn’t like something. I trust you.”

Alexander nodded and allowed himself to relax with the reassurance. “I love you..” he smiled.

“I love you too,” John smiled, allowing Alexander to push up his tank top.

Alexander kept slowly pushing up the shirt, giving John enough time to protest, though he didn’t need it, and eventually got it up to his ribs. He grabbed it and pulled it the rest of the way off. “Color?..”

John smiled, though his face was dark red. “Still green.”

Alexander nodded and let himself smile and enjoy the experience, just as John seemed to be. There was no reason for him to not be happy, the guy of his dreams just let him take off his shirt. He sat up and pulled off his shirt.. getting stuck in it. “This is embarrassing..”

“No, it’s fine,” John reassured. “Let me help you.” He leaned up and helped Alexander pull off his shirt, then pulled him back down, resting his hands on his shoulders. “Is this okay?”

“It’s fine.” He leaned down to kiss John, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. He nearly jumped out of his skin.

John tutted and sat up, covering Alexander with a blanket before pulling his shirt back on and answering the door, smiling at Maria.

“I believe you have something that belongs to me?”

“Give me a minute.” John disappeared to his room and came back with Susan fast asleep in his arms. He gave her to Maria and let her leave before turning back to Alexander. “My room?..”

Alexander nodded and got up, following John back to his room and leaning over him again. He smiled and pulled his shirt back off, admiring how John looked in the dim light, then leaned down and kissed him again. As much time as the pair had been spending that night getting comfortable around each other, he was a bit more confident in his actions, though he was still a bit clumsy, as new as the experience was.

John allowed Alexander to move things forward and made sure to let him know his color at all time, though he didn’t move from green. That was, not until Alexander started tugging at his boxers. Suddenly, he felt a wave of anxiety flow through him and he shook his head quickly. “R-Red, I want to stop.”

Alexander jumped off the second that John said it, scooting as far away as he could on the bed to give John enough space.

John frowned and covered his face with his hands, feeling almost embarrassed. “I’m sorry.. I thought I was ready. I want to do this with you, but..” He sighed and dropped his hands, looking over at Alexander. “Can we just cuddle and sleep?..”

“Yeah, of course. You didn’t do anything wrong, I promise. I’m glad you told me.” He laid down and carefully wrapped his arms around John, kissing his cheek. “I’m sorry..”

John shook his head and hugged Alexander back, holding him close. “Don’t be.. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He leaned up and pecked his lips. “I love you..”

“I love you too, so, so much. We don’t have to take things farther, I just want you to feel safe..”

John smiled and shut his eyes, falling asleep. The next morning, he woke up in a much better move and got ready, then made a quick breakfast before waking up Alexander. “Good morning, sunshine,” he said quietly.

Alexander, who had been fast asleep, mumbled in his sleep. “Five more minutes..”

John rolled his eyes and leaned down, kissing Alexander lovingly. When he pulled away, he left without a word.

And, as expected, Alexander emerged only minutes later, dressed and ready for school, besides his messy hair.

John smiled at the sight and went to the bathroom, coming back with a hairbrush and sitting beside Alexander as he ate, brushing his hair back. “Good morning. You look nice today.”

Alexander nodded and took a bite of his food, going through a few notes in his phone. “Lunch with Aaron.”

“I’d wish you luck, but I heard from Herc that you already made a good impression.”

He smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. I’m kind of nervous about that..”

“You’re going to do fine, I know it.” He kissed his cheek and checked the time, pulling Alexander’s hair back into a ponytail. “Come on, it’s time to go.”

“Already?.. But I didn’t finish my..” He looked up at his plate and smiled widely as he saw that it was empty. “Nevermind.”

John smiled and kissed his cheek, then put his plate in the sink for him before walking out with him.


	30. Chapter 30

Alexander still had a bit of a limp from his cut leg, but it was far less noticeable than the night before. Still, it was all the more reason to be thankful that the two hadn’t gone too far the night before. The last thing he needed was to aggravate the injury. Still, “Today’s going to be good. I feel it. I’m meeting your siblings and I’m meeting with Aaron.”

John nodded, though he wasn’t nearly as excited for the day, not when he had to deal with Thomas. He even wore the only pair of skinny jeans he had for good measure, glad that Alexander wasn’t aware of anything. In fact, he only seemed to be glad as they walked in and saw Thomas sitting across the room rather than right beside him.

“Glad to see he got the message,” he muttered to John.

John simply nodded in response and pulled out his sketchbook as he usually did, drawing away to pass the time in class until he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out and held it where Alexander nor Adams would be able to see it.

[Your ass looks great in those, baby <3 xx] [Good to see someone’s coming to reason ;) xx] [So, why’s your boytoy dressed like he’s going to a funeral? xx]

[Before you get too excited, I’m doing this for Alex, not for you.] He scrunched his nose a bit at the third text. [Don’t call him that.] [And how he dresses is none of your business.]

[You’re so cute, you know that? xx] [Meet me after class. I want to talk <3 xx]

[Where would we meet? You have a class with Alexander next.]

[i c u bein a rebel. tut tut fones in clas ;)]

John couldn’t help but smile as Alexander’s message came through. As irritating as Thomas was, he needed it. [Lol, maybe;P What are you going to do? Turn me in to the teacher?]

[noep <3 ill jst tell Mary insted ;)]

John rolled his eyes playfully, his smile fading a bit as Thomas replied.

[Meet me in the guys’ bathroom xx] [And give Alex the cold shoulder on the way out ;) xx] It was a cruel request. Perhaps not entirely harmful, but certainly mean-spirited.

John ignored it for a second and responded to Alexander. [Oh no! Not the love of my life! D: How will I ever live?!] He grinned back at Alexander, then looked back down and texted Thomas back. [Alright, whatever. I’ll meet you there.] [And I’ll do it. I’ll just pretend he’s you and give enough of a cold shoulder to save the ice caps.]

Alexander’s final response came through just before the bell rang. [spose i coud keep it quite] [i need a kiss 4 paiment tho ;*] He stood up and looked at John. “Your ransom is due, Mr Laurens.” But his cheeky smile crashed and burned as John simply walked out, without so much as giving him a second glance. Had he said something wrong?.. He frowned and made his way to his next class.

At the same time, John was waiting in the bathroom, torn up over what he had to do. He could feel Alexander’s disappointment as he left.

Thomas strolled into the bathroom with a victorious grin and leaned against the sink. “Cheer up, Johnny. You know you’re doing this for him. Speaking of which, I got a few more requests for you. Go through with them and I’ll leave Hamilton and your friends alone.”

John sighed and looked up at him. “What kind of requests?..”

“Nothing extreme, don’t worry. I’ve got two. First, don’t say you love him for the rest of the say. Not in anyway to anyone. Simple enough, right?”

Again, it was more mean than cruel, or even just petty. “Fine..”

“And I want a drawing. Just a simple portrait of me. You don’t even have to color it. Easy?”

John nodded and sighed. “For someone who wants me back, you’re sure doing a shitty job of trying.”

Thomas shook his head. “No, you just don’t see things my way. It’s simple. I make you make their lives difficult and they leave you, one by one, just like everyone does.”

That much, John could understand.

“Then, it’ll just be you and me. Like in the good old days.” He stepped forward and cupped John’s cheek, daring to press a kiss to his forehead. “We all have our limits, baby. If your friends are tipped over as easily as you are, this’ll be over with no time.”

John shoved him away and walked out, going to his next class.

Lafayette, who had just done the same, frowned as he saw his brother’s expression and sat beside him. “What’s wrong?..”

“I think I made John upset?.. Like… We were just texting in class one minute and, the next, he just left..” He pulled his phone out, since Eacker was late as usual, and showed the texts to Lafayette. “Did I say something?..”

Lafayette furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. “No.. I don’t know why he’d do that. Maybe there’s something else bothering him. I’ll ask.” [Hey, are you ok? Alexander said you were kind of cold this morning. You ignored him.] [He’s really sad right now…]

John felt his heart ache as he read the messages, now in the library for a quiet place to draw. [I did?.. I feel awful.. I didn’t even hear him, honestly!] He frowned and switched to texting Alexander. [Babe, I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear you earlier, I swear. I’ll give you a huge kiss later to apologize, I promise. <3 Probably when you’re not expecting it. ;*]

Alexander watched Thomas walk in and sit across the classroom. “At least he’s leaving us alone..”

Lafayette read the texts and felt the pieces click. He was going to kill John later.

Alexander felt relief flooding his system as he read John’s texts and responded, not feeling like joking around for once. [U had me woried!  Il taek tat kiss asap. I love u] “He’s okay, I guess..” There was no denying that John was acting weird.

[Sorry. And you’ll get that kiss when you’re not expecting it. ;* ;*] After that, John turned his phone off and shoved it in his pocket, then got to work on Thomas’ sketch. He wasn’t busy, so he might as well get it over with.

[i mis u. U’d tel me if sumthin was up, rite? Xx] He put his phone down for about half an hour before checking it again furrowing his eyebrows when he saw that John hadn’t gotten the message. [hey, r u there?] Another fifteen minutes passed. Alexander frowned, getting more and more worried by the minute.

Hercules had just been arriving at school, thanks to a bothersome customer that arrived at the crack of dawn, and headed to the library since it was already well into second hour. He smiled when he saw John there and saw beside him, his eyebrows furrowing at his drawing. “Is that.. Jefferson?..”

John jumped a bit when he heard him, though he was glad it was just Herc. “Yeah.. He said he would leave Alexander alone if I drew him.”

Hercules raised and eyebrow. “That seems too easy.. Too easy. Is that it?”

John hesitated, then shook his head. “No… I’m not allowed to tell him that I love him all day.. But that’s not much. I promise I’m okay.”

“Jack..” he sighed as the bell rang, “you need to tell Alexander about this.”

“I know.. I will, later. I’ll take care of this, I promise.” He got up and went with Hercules to lunch, hiding his phone in his bag when he wasn’t looking. When they got there, Lafayette was already waiting, looking less than impressed. All it took was a raise of his eyebrow to get John to spill. He told him everything that happened between them and everything that he had to do. Lafayette only had a few words to say in response.

“You will not let this go ant further.”

“Don’t worry about me. I won’t do anything too drastic. I promise. Just don’t tell Alexander.. I will.”

“John.”

“I promise, Laf. Please..”

Lafayette sighed and nodded. “Fine..”

The trio ate lunch, acting like nothing was wrong as Alexander sat across the cafeteria, eating with Aaron Burr.

“Let’s skip the introduction stuff and get straight into this,” Alexander began, pulling out his laptop. “Because I don’t want to be an idle member of the society. I want to change things around here. My priority is an art department. This school is rampant with talented young artists and authors and it’d be an inimitable shame if their talents weren’t put to maximum use. Indubitably, there are dire difficulties in the way, including funds and support, but that’s not to say we can’t campaign and place a student vote towards this end goal. There’s no question that there’s plenty of students and teachers who’d support this plan.”

Aaron raised an eyebrow as Alexander began rambling, a bit impressed as he spoke. “I agree with what you’re saying, but don’t think I don’t know your main motivation. John Laurens, am I correct?”

“Is it that obvious?..” Alexander asked, a bit sheepish.

“Yes, but I’m not saying it’s a problem, as long as you’re still invested in this. Funding will be your biggest problem, of course.”

“I realize that.. I know I could think of something to help with that. I haven’t been thinking of this for long.”

“Understandable,” Aaron nodded before taking a bite of his food.

“In the meantime,” Alexander began as he pulled his laptop out of his backpack. “I was trying to look for some more resources within the school, but the school website is, to be frank, a heap of junk.” He pulled up the webpage and showed Aaron.

“Yes, I remember. I asked about it and was told someone would fix it, but that never happened. I do have a tech savvy friend who you might want to talk to. John Jay. He should be around here..”

“Thomas, I don’t know if I should-”

“Come on, JJ. It’s simple.”

“I really shouldn’t..” He sighed and checked his phone as it buzzed, finding a message from Aaron Burr, the last thing he wanted to see right then.

[Hey, John, if you’re not too busy, would you mind coming over to my booth? I’m speaking with a new member of the society and he’s making some excellent points.]

“See? Perfect. Go.”

Jay sighed and got up, dragging himself over to the booth.

Thomas grinned to himself. If John was going to ignore him, it was not going to go without repercussion.

Jay sat at the booth, feeling a bit nervous, but he had to do this. For Thomas.

“John Jay, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Alexander? It’s great to meet you!” Jay hummed in response, taking a seat next to Alexander…and putting an arm around him.

Alexander gave him a curious look but put it down to just a friendly affection. “… We were just talking about the school website. It needs drastic updating. Aaron was saying you were the guy to talk t-”

“You’re really cute, you know that?”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re really cute.”

“…thank you?” That was not how he’d interpreted Jay to behave at all, rude and brash. “…an-anyway, about the websi-”

“Aaron, you were saying about how smart Ally was right?” Jay interrupted again.

Alexander furrowed his brows with a frown. “/Alexander/.” He corrected him firmly, feeling himself heating up a little.

“Yeah, of course! Well, it’s just nice that you look good and are smart too. That’s pretty individual!”

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

Alexander was at a loss, giving Aaron a sort of ‘kill me’ expression.

Aaron could smell the snake from a mile away. “John Jay. I can’t believe you right now. You and I both know very well that this is not how you act. There’s no doubt that Jefferson put you up to this. I know you see how uncomfortable Hamilton is with this touch. You’d have to be blind not to. So, here’s the deal. Your options are leave now if you’re going to keep up this charade or shut it down and apologize. If you keep this up and take it any further than it has already gotten, I will tell your parents and the other members of the society and you will be voted out.”

Jay squirmed in his seat. Did Aaron have to make it sound so terrible? He was just flirting. But he still knew what he had to do. “Sorry, Alexander..”

“It’s whatever… Let’s just talk about this website..”

Across the cafeteria, John noticed the conflict and glanced over at Thomas, who was just grinning at him. He narrowed his eyes and nodded towards the exit before getting up and walking out, excusing himself.

Hercules and Lafayette just watched, knowing that nothing good could come from interrupting.

“He needs to talk to Alex..” Hercules said.

“This isn’t going to end well for either of them,” Lafayette added as Thomas followed John out and to the bathrooms.

“Someone’s been ignoring me,” he hummed.

John furrowed his eyebrows. “Did you text me or something? Because my phone’s dead. It’s in my locker.”

“Alright. I’ll take your word for it.”

“And you didn’t say anything about anymore rules.”

Thomas rolled his eyes and cupped John’s face, then tilted his chin up with his hand. “Come on, Johnny. You’re strong. You can handle one more little thing for me, right?” He paused for a second. “Or, rather, for him?..”

John sighed and smacked away his hand. “What is it?”

“Besides don’t do that again,” he said as he returned his hand to John’s face, squeezing possessively, “Lafayette’s name today is 'bitch.’ Understand?”

John nodded. “Fine.. Just leave Alexander alone..”

He tutted and let him go. “Deal.  Oh, and just a word of advice, I’d keep an eye on Aaron Burr, if I were you. He seemed a little too friendly around Alexander.” Thomas blew him a kiss and walked out, the bell ringing soon after.

John shook it off and went to the library for his free period, grabbing his phone from his locker.

Alexander smiled widely as he walked back to his friends, though it faltered as he realized that John was missing. Again.

“How was your thing with Aaron?” Lafayette asked, trying to lighten his mood.

“Great. Aaron’s not too bad. His friend, John Jay, came up and started acting all weird, but he just shut him down like nothing. It was really cool.” There was no denying that Alexander’s voice didn’t have the same spirit it would’ve had John actually been there.

Neither Lafayette not Hercules wanted to keep everything from him, but they weren’t going to say a thing when John promised he would, when it was John’s story to tell anyways.

Besides, it seemed that John was finally getting around to taking care of it himself as he texted Alexander.

[Baby, I’m so sorry. My phone got confiscated so I couldn’t text you and I had to go during lunch to get it back. I didn’t mean to make you upset. And I know I’ve been acting weird. I’ll explain later, I promise. I’m not mad at you at all. I’ll meet you at your classroom after the bell rings.] He sighed and finished Thomas’s drawing. It was simple and definitely not one of his best. He barely bothered erasing the sketch lines and adding some shading. Completely different from the ones he made for Alexander. Photo realistic down to the colors that were used, it almost looked like he was moving on the page.

John smiled as a text came through, though it quickly fell.

[Funny how my texts just all went through, even though your phone is dead xx]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help out a broke college student, you can ask for commissions at slashgashotaku@gmail.com. I also do free requests.


	31. Chapter 31

[Funny how my texts just all went through, even though your phone is dead xx]

[I got a charger. I just turned it on.]

[Why? To talk to your boytoy? xx]

[Why doesn’t matter. I haven’t broken any rules.]

Thomas went silent for a minute, fear coursing through John’s veins. He didn’t do anything wrong, right? He wasn’t going to hurt Alexander, was he?

[OJHN!] [JOHN!] [OH MY GDO] [iv spnet so muc of 2dye woried] [ur in so much troble] [i love u tho] [so muhc] [u hav no idea] [i was woried u were ashamde of me] [or tat i upset u ovr last nite] [i paniked tat u didnt love me anymor] [im gona kick ur ass]

John’s wide smile returned as Alexander responded, message after message of awful spelling appearing on his phone. [I know, I’m in so much trouble and I don’t blame you. I deserve for you to be mad at me.] [I’m not ashamed of you at all and I’m not upset over what happened at all.] [And I’d love to see you try to kick my ass, lol : P]

Lafayette and Hercules smiled as Alexander beamed at his phone, knowing exactly who he was texting. Things seemed to be going right for once that day. It distracted them all from Thomas mysteriously missing from class.

[dnt tempt me, im dangerus] [were hav u been?? it dosnt taek all of lunch 2 fetch a fone! my days ben wierd af.] [aron is prety neet! also he saved my ass 2day] [jay was bein 2 frendly nd aron jst shot him dwn! it was amasing] [nd hes supr hapy 2 hav me on the ‘team’ :D] [nw i just need 2 c u nd smother u in kises nd my day wil b prefect <3] [i jst want 2 keep telin u i love u] He didn’t seem to realize that John wasn’t returning his sentiments.

[I’m so sorry, I only left at the end of lunch to go get it. I thought you’d be with Aaron the whole time. I never would’ve left otherwise.] [I’m glad you liked him. He sounds like a cool guy.] A little too cool.. No. Alexander was in love with him, not Aaron. [I’m sorry about Jay, I bet Jefferson put him up to that, though. He is usually a cool guy. :/] [I know you’ll love being on the 'team’. I can tell you already love it there. : D] [I will accept each and every kiss ;* ;* ;* ;* ;* But I bet I’ll kiss you before you even expect it ;) Like usual.]

[yeh, aron’s gr8! crazy smrt.] [we need mor meetups. we talked abwt a bunch 2day but i hav a lot mor yet] [aron said th saem thing] [jay seemd relly uncomfrtble abwt it] [he sed it caem on his own but i dnt beleev it] [not w/ satin lurkin arownd evry corner] [u best beleev ur gettin evry kis! <3 jst u wait!] [id stil get ur kises, so win win ;*] [stil workin on that thing for you!]

The door to the library creaked open and Thomas made his way over to John’s table, placing his hands down on the desk with a grimace. “You. Bathroom. Now.” He instructed- no, demanded.

John frowned and texted Alexander back first. [I’m so sorry, babe, I have to go. I’ll be back in a bit. <3 Class stuff.]

Thomas snatched his phone away and put it in his own pocket. “Now.”

John frowned and got up, following him out. “Here..” He gave him his drawing as they walked, refusing to look Thomas in the eye.

Thomas pocketed the drawing and led John to the bathroom, shutting the door behind them. “Blocking me out, breaking the rules, it’s like you want me to hurt the little creep, it’s like I was right this whole time. I’m getting a bit tired of your games, babe. Just say that you want me back. Don’t put us both through this trouble.”

John glared, grinding his teeth. “Fuck you, Jefferson. I followed your stupid rules, okay? I didn’t break any one of them and I’m not going to let you make Alexander pay for your stupidity, just because you couldn’t take no for an answer.”

Thomas rolled his eyes. “Oh, you and I both know what really happened that night.” He grinned as he watched the spectacle happening before him. John getting angry, again, was the most peculiar yet fantastic thing. The way his freckled cheeks puffed up with red and hair frizzed. It was beautiful in a way that few could appreciate. Hell, in a way that few got to experience. “Alright. Deal changes. I’ll leave him alone, if you say one little thing for me.”

[noooo pls keep textin me] [i havent herd much frm u all day :(] After a few minutes of no reply, Alexander sighed. At least he knew vaguely what John was up to now. He flicked over to Snapchat to check out just where John was via the location. “…Laf. Herc,” he whispered. “I’ll be back. Pee break.”

“Sure. Take your time.” Hercules nodded as Alexander left his seat, leaving his bag at the seat. “Sounds like John finally got back to him,” he smiled.

Hercules wasn’t wrong. Alexander was indeed on his way to see John, though more out of curiosity of why he was hiding in the guy’s bathroom when he claimed to be in class. Maybe he stopped there on his way. He smiled and pushed over the bathroom door quietly, peeking in. “John?..”

“Just three little words, baby. Just admit that you love me and I’ll leave your little boytoy out of this. Throw in a little kiss and I’ll leave you all alone all week next week.” He had a hand on John’s waist, his lips only millimeters from his face, and his other hand was propping John’s chin up, forcing him to look at him. “You can do that for him, can’t you?”

Alexander felt himself go from excitement to rage in a matter of milliseconds; like smashing glass. He charged at Thomas in an angry rage filled episode.

Thomas didn’t even have time to look up before Alexander smashed into him, both of them flying into the floor. “Ah! Fuck!” Thomas winced as the back of his skull hit the floor.

Alexander had landed face first against the tiles, and his nose was bleeding from the hard impact. “Owww…” He winced, gripping his nose with grazed palms.

Thomas seemed to forget about John in the room because he brought his foot up fast as to kick Alexander square in the jaw.

He toppled up then backwards, whimpering in pain.

“I was /THIS/ close, you absolute…” Thomas looked up and caught sight of John. Any deal he’d had with John was shattered in that brief second. Thomas didn’t have any leverage over John now, and for once… it was /him/ looking scared.

And for good reason. John glared at him before turning his attention to Alexander, getting a few paper towels wet and giving them to him. He helped him sit up against the wall and press the paper towels against his nose, kissing his forehead. He sensed Thomas moving and trying to escape behind him. “I wouldn’t, if I were you.”

And, for fear of his life, he listened.

The second that John turned to deal with Thomas, the kindness drained from his face and was replaced with a controlled anger. He grabbed him by the shirt collar and slammed his back against the wall, lifting him so his feet were a few inches off of the ground.

“Easy, tiger! I’ve got one coat of skin here!” Thomas yelped cowardly.

“Shut it. The reason I’ve listened to anything you said today is to help Alexander. But you’ve made me hurt him. And you’ve just hurt him after I warned you, what, two minutes ago? I’ll tell you what. I, unlike you, can control my anger. So I will not be ending your life today. In return, you will apologize to me for all the trouble you’ve put me through in this past year. And you will apologize to Alexander for dragging him into it. And you will apologize to Lafayette and to Hercules as well. Finally, I also have my own apologies to make. I have to apologize to your little sister for just disappearing. Like you said, she misses having me around. In the meantime, you will explain to your parents what you’ve done to us. And I will be there to watch and make sure you tell the whole truth. Do you understand me?”

“Alright, alright, I’ll bite! I’ll do all your shit, bab- Laurens.” Thomas hissed. Already, it was an improvement. He felt John’s grip loosening and his feet returning solidly to the floor. Thomas let himself catch his breath, rubbing the back of his head painfully. There was blood on his hand when he checked it. Thomas swallowed his pride. “…fuck knows this isn’t my area of expertise…” he grumbled before inhaling through his nose. “John Laurens. I. Am. Sorry.” he attempted, though John’s disapproving look prompted him to continue. “…for everything. Every word, every shove, every ignorant, bullshitty sentence that’s ever left me. For trying to force you to -y'know-. For loving your body. I’m sorry.” Thomas turned to Alexander. “And you… I’m sorry I dragged you into this mess. I’m sorry that-”

Alexander spat at Thomas.

“..charming.”

“You expect any less?” Alexander hissed, struggling to keep the paper towel from soaking through.

Thomas opened his mouth to retort but stopped himself, gritting his teeth. “I’m sorry you got caught in the middle of me and my- me and Laurens. I’m sorry I made Jay flirt with you.” Thomas turned back to John. “There. Happy?”

John grinned and nodded, taking his phone back from Thomas and texting Lafayette. “But you are not done yet.” [Hey, I kind of kicked Thomas’s ass and I’m making him apologize to us all. Can you come to the bathroom by the library with Alex’s stuff? And get my stuff from the library?]

Lafayette furrowed his eyebrows and grabbed his brother’s bag as the bell rang. [Sure?] “John said we have to go to the library bathroom and that he beat up Thomas.”

“What?..” Hercules asked, though he followed Lafayette there. When they got there, they were both surprised to see that he was actually telling the truth.

Lafayette was more concerned with his brother, getting him some fresh paper towels for his nose. “Are you okay?..”

“Everything’s fuzzy.. Other than that, super.”

Thomas growled before clearing his throat. “Lafayette. I’m sorry for harassing you and calling you a slut. I’m sorry for making drama hell. I’m VERY sorry that my thighs are covered in bruises after you pelted me for hurting John… Herc. I’m sorry I did all that to Laf, called you names, sorry for just… everything.” Thomas gritted.

“See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” John asked with a big, fake smile.

“John…” Alexander whined.

John glanced over and frowned, then turned back to Thomas. “We’re done here, for now. I’ll see you later. And, just for old time’s sake,” he said before punching Jefferson in the jaw, not feeling up to breaking anything, and tossing him to the ground.

“Ah! Fuck!” he cursed, clutching his jaw.

John ignored him and walked to Alexander, kneeling down in front of him. “Hey, Alex.. I’m going to take you to my house and help you with your nose, okay? Then you can meet my siblings.”

Alexander nodded and reached up for him, expecting him to just help him to his feet.

John did him one better and lifted him onto his back and took their bags from Lafayette, thanking him and walking out.

Lafayette nodded and glanced back at Jefferson once before walking out with Herc. Things were going to be different for sure with John being such a threat to him.

John walked home with Alexander and went upstairs after unlocking the door with the key that his siblings hid for him. He went into his old room and put Alexander down on the bed, taking away the paper towels from his nose and inspecting it. “I don’t think it’s broken..” He sighed. “I’m sorry for keeping this from you.. That was a dick move, especially after what happened just yesterday.”

“I’m not mad or anything.. I just..” He frowned and sat up slowly. “You guys made me promise to tell you if he sent me threatening messages.. It hurts that you didn’t do the same..”

“I know.. I’m sorry.. I promise I was going to tell you after today..”

Alexander nodded and looked at him. “…when I walked in on you two… when Thomas was… you know… Were you gonna… Would you have let him…” He couldn’t even finish the sentence, it hurt him so much. Now he knew how John must’ve felt…

John’s eyes went wide and he shook his head. “No, of course not. He wasn’t trying to do /that/, I promise. But, if he was, I never would have let him.” He leaned in and hugged Alexander, holding him tightly. “I’m sorry…”

Alexander rested his chin on his shoulder and hugged back. He wanted to nuzzle his face into his neck, but his nose already felt as if it was on fire. “It’s okay.. I’ll even give you a rain check on kicking your ass,” he joked, feeling a bit better.

“Thanks,” John chuckled.

Alexander smiled and pulled away from the hug, leaning in and surprising John with a tender kiss for once. “Gotcha..” he smiled as he pulled away.

John smiled and grabbed his face, kissing all over, though he was careful not to hit his nose. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” he repeated between his kisses, taking advantage of the fact that he could say it.

Alexander giggled at the ticklish kisses and stopped John with a kiss after a while. “I love you too,” he gasped when he pulled away.

John smiled and kissed his forehead. “I have to go over to his house.. Do you want to come with me or stay here?”

Alexander thought for a second. He didn’t want to leave John alone with him, but he also didn’t think he was fit to move anywhere for the time. And Jefferson wouldn’t try anything with his sister around, right?.. “I want to stay.. Will your siblings be okay with me just being here?..”

“They’ll be fine. I’ll leave a note.” He kissed his forehead again before standing straight up. “I’ll get some food on the way back. Call me if you need anything.” He went downstairs, leaving a note where he knew his siblings would see it, before heading to Jefferson’s house. When he got there, he knocked on the door and waited.


	32. Chapter 32

Thomas answered after a few minutes and looked away, a dark bruise on his jaw. “Come in..” he grumbled. Last time John came over, he’d welcomed him with a kiss and watched him leave with a broken nose. “My parents aren’t home yet.. They’ll be home in a bit, then you can twist the knife.. Come in.” He stepped aside and let John step in. “Do you want a drink or something?..”

“No thanks.”

“Johnny?..” came a familiar, tiny voice from the kitchen. After a second, Thomas’s six year-old sister came into view, a huge smile on her face. “Johnny!” She dashed over and jumped up into John’s open arms, hugging him tightly. “I missed you!

John smiled as he picked up her up, returning the hug. "I missed you too! I’m sorry I haven’t been able to see you.”

“You won’t go, right? You’ll stay with me?”

Thomas’s smile fell as he heard the question. “Maybe he can visit, but I don’t think he can stay again.”

Lucy pouted and hugged John tighter. “But I want him to stay..”

John frowned and shook his head slowly. “I’m sorry, Lucy.. But things are complicated between me and your brother right now.. I can’t always come around anymore..”

“But.. But Tommy says he loves you!”

Both boys went silent for a second until Thomas cleared his throat. “Tommy also says you should be getting ready for your sleepover..”

She held John tighter.

“Or not..” he sighed. He held a hand near her and she took it, though she didn’t let go of John at all. “Lucy… Things happened between us, bad things. It isn’t that simple, okay?..”

Lucy nodded slowly.

Thomas looked up at John. “You still babysit for Maria’s kid, don’t you?.. Maybe Lucy can tag along sometimes?..”

John nodded. “Yeah.” He looked at Lucy, who was staring back up at him with pleading eyes. “You’ll see me again, I promise. And you can meet my friend, Susie.”

Any other time, Lucy would’ve argued and whined that she wanted John to herself, but even she knew that it wasn’t going to happen, so she simply nodded.

“Come on.. Don’t be so sad. I’ll see you again. And you’re going to have fun tonight with your friends. I promise I’ll come back to see you soon.” He kissed her cheek and set her on the ground.

She pouted and slumped away, heading up the stairs.

Thomas sighed and turned to John. “I don’t know what to say to you.. What I did sucked, I know it did. I should’ve been more sensitive. I know there’s no chance of us getting back together, but you should know that I do wish I never hurt you like that.. I just… Everything went to shit once you left me and seeing you making Alex so happy.. I don’t even know where I’m going with this, I know there’s no excusing what I did. Maybe we can just agree to stay out of each other’s way?..” He held his hand out. “Bar seeing Lucy once in a while, of course?..”

John hesitated for a second before shaking his hand. “Deal.. And, I have to admit, what I did was kind of a dick move, too.. You didn’t do anything wrong.. But continuously telling me that you did nothing wrong and forcing me to forgive you was not the way to go.”

“I know..”

John nodded and stepped back, moving towards the door. “And, having said that, I’m not going to tell your parents. I believe what Lucy said and I think it’ll be enough for you to know that we could’ve worked.. If you could’ve been this nice guy without me forcing you, we could’ve worked.” He turned and walked out.

‘We could’ve worked..’ Thomas would’ve lied if he said that didn’t drive a dagger through his heart. No. That wasn’t true. The second that Alexander came around, he would’ve lost John. He could see it in how they looked at each other and that’s what sickened him most. No matter what, he would’ve lost John to that ill-tempered, loud-mouthed brat… But now he realized that anger would get him nowhere. He should’ve known better. He followed John to the door and saw him out, smiling as he left. “Just don’t ignore my texts when they’re about Lucy,” he said, though he was clearly joking, realizing just how ridiculous he’d been acting.

John chuckled and nodded as he walked off. “Will do.”

Thomas smiled and shut the door, standing there for a minute. It felt nice to make John laugh again. Maybe being the nice guy wouldn’t hurt. When John hit his limit with Alexander, it’d be good to be the nice guy again.

John wasn’t gone for long before there was a knock at his bedroom door. “Alex? John said you’d be in there” came a young, but mature voice.

Alexander sat up, glad that his nose seemed almost normal by then. “Come in.”

Four freckled siblings flooded into the room, smiling politely, and the oldest stepped forward to introduce them.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Martha, this is James, Henry, and-”

“I’m Mary! Not Martha, Mary!”

“Yeah, that’s Mary,” Martha said with a shrug.

“And you’d better not hurt Jacky’s feelings too. Martha said that Tommy hurt his feelings and that he made dad mad and made Jacky leave.” She frowned.

“Yeah. If you hurt our brother, we’ll hurt you too,” Henry threatened, his brother agreeing.

Martha nodded. “Yeah. John’s been through a lot. You’d better not make it worse. You really do make him happy, but.. I’m sure he’s told you about Thomas..”

Alexander held his hands up in defense. “It’s okay! I won’t hurt John. Or at least, not purposely… I’m… I’m a mess sometimes but… John makes everything okay again. I love him.” He began to gush about John, wondering whether or not it was appropriate or not. “..besides, if I do anything you guys don’t like, you can beat me up yourselves!” He smiled. “Let’s see… Martha, Mary… Then… Henry and James?” He pointed between the pair.

They all nodded and smiled as he pointed them out correctly and accepted his promise. After all, four against one, especially against someone his size, they knew Alexander wouldn’t get away with anything.

Mary smiled and took his hands. “Come on! Let’s go downstairs and I can braid your hair! It’s really pretty.”

Alexander returned the smile, feeling his heart swell. John was right, Mary was precious. “Thank you, I like your hair, too. Of course you can braid my hair.”

All four siblings led Alexander downstairs and to the couch. He sat on the floor in front of Mary and the others sat on the floor in front of him.

“So,” Martha began, “John has told us that you like video games and writing and you’re trying to draw because of him. He really likes you. Its almost annoying to watch.”

Alexander chuckled. “You’re not the first one to call me annoying. He told me you’re the responsible one that makes sure no one loses their heads. And you’re /too cool/ for slumber parties…” He teased with a grin.

Martha rolled her eyes. “I’m thirteen. I’m too old for pillow forts.”

“I’m eighteen and I still like pillow forts.”

“Yeah and Jackie’s seventeen,” Mary argued. “You’re just boring.”

“I’m not boring, I’m mature.”

“You’re lame,” the boys said together.

Alexander smiled as he listened to them all bicker and tease each other. They seemed so close to each other.. John’s father was truly a menace for taking him away from them. And Martha really had stepped up as the oldest sibling. It was hard to imagine that she was only thirteen. Speaking of which, it was also surprising to hear that John was the younger. He hardly acted like it. But that wasn’t the time or place for such thoughts. “So, ask me anything.”

“I want to hear about you and Johnny!” Mary piped up.

“Ew, no!” James protested.

“That’s girly stuff.”

“You guys didn’t say anything quick enough. I want to hear this, too.”

The brothers huffed, imagining that the girls were going to take charge of the questions, and began playing some video games.

“It’s not all that girly. John and I could’ve been fighting dragons and wrestling bears, for all you know.” He smiled, then thought about where to start for a moment. “John’s my light.. He gives me hope.. But, when we first met, I did try to fight him…” It wasn’t the best detail, but he had to get the boys’ attention somehow. “But he made sure I was put in my place and I kind of just followed him around, wondering why this guy didn’t fight me. Next thing I know, I fell hook, line, and sinker for him..” He smiled softly, feeling himself getting all gushy again. “I don’t have much money, but I want to do something nice for him and spoil him. He just.. He makes me feel like everything’s okay and I just love him so much.” He blushed bright red.

The boys acted like they were too cool for love stories, but were listening just as closely as the girls were. After all, John was their big brother and they knew how hard he worked to care for them and himself.

A minute or so later, John came through the door with a few boxes of pizza. “I’m here!”

Everyone dropped what they were doing and ran over, hugging him tightly.

He smiled and kept walking once they let go, the boys getting back to Super Smash Bros and Mary finishing up Alexander’s braid. John put the food on the kitchen table and sat beside Alexander, kissing his cheek. “Do they love you yet?”

“I think so. Mary did my hair and I told them how you almost beat me up. So, now I’m pretty and awesome.”

“I could’ve told you that,” John shrugged.

Mary smiled and slid off of the couch and onto one of John’s legs, kissing his cheek. “He’s not as pretty as you.” She may have accepted Alexander, but she also wanted to make sure he knew that she was the most precious thing to him.

And Alexander gladly accepted the playful competition. Sure, Mary was tiny and loving, but that only made the challenge more fun. He slid down to rest his head on John’s free leg, smiling up at him with puppy dog eyes.

John was completely unaware of what was going on, but he wasn’t going to argue with it. He ran his hand over Alexander’s hair absentmindedly and smiled as he kissed his hand.

Mary upped her own cute factor, leaning into John. “You need to come over more often. It’s no fun without my big brother around..”

John nodded. “I will, just for you.”

Alexander mentally cracked his knuckles and continued. He placed John’s hand against his cheek and leaned into it was a happy hum. “I was so worried that they wouldn’t like me… Especially without you there to make me feel safe like you always do.”

“Of course they’d like you. Why wouldn’t they? You’re my boyfriend.”

“And me?” Mary asked, smiling up at him.

“You know you’re my sweet baby sister.”

“Am I cuter?”

John hesitated to respond.

Mary pouted. “Am I?..”

“Of course you are.”

Alexander would’ve been lying if he said that didn’t sting. But this was John’s baby sister and he knew when he was defeated. Still.. A ball of emotion grew in his chest. There couldn’t have been a worse time. He tried to swallow it down, shoving it away… No. He knew better. he had to release it. “I don’t feel good..” he muttered. “I’m having a moment…”

A moment? Of course, John knew what he meant, but it genuinely surprised him. He couldn’t detect a trace of mischief when it came to Mary and it was a trait of Alexander’s that he usually adored. He nodded and kissed his hand. “Okay.. Go up to my room. I’ll be there in a minute, okay?”

Alexander nodded and pulled himself to his feet, heading upstairs to John’s room and curling up in his bed.


	33. Chapter 33

John came upstairs soon after and scooped him up, holding him close and rocking him. “What happened?.. Are you okay?”

“I’m a jealous dirt bag..” he muttered. He didn’t want him to think that Mary had done anything wrong, it was supposed to be all in good fun, but he had to tell him how he felt. “I’m just so used to you saying I’m the cute one. It’s stupid and dumb and I..” He paused for a bit. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry..”

John frowned and cupped Alexander’s face. “Hey.. Breathe. It’s okay, I’m right here for you. I didn’t mean to hurt you, you are cute to me. You’re my boyfriend and I love you so much.” He kissed his forehead. “You have my complete attention right now.”

“I just feel bitchy… Mary didn’t do anything and I just.. I.. Stupid moments!”

“Hey, hey.. It’s okay. Deep breaths, Alexander.”

Alexander nodded and took deep breaths with John, feeling himself calming down. He sat up after a minute and kissed him, wrapping his arms around his neck and resting his forehead against John’s as he pulled away. “I’m sorry.. I didn’t mean to have a moment like this..”

“I know. I understand.” He pecked his lips. “Have you been taking your medicine?..”

Alexander frowned and grabbed the tube from his backpack, knocking back a pill with some water. “I think I forgot yesterday.. But not on purpose, I promise.”

“I believe you. I was just asking. You’re trying and that’s all that matters.”

Alexander smiled and put the tube back in his backpack. They’d done wonders for his usually erratic mood lately. “So.. What did your siblings say?…” He knew getting their approval was crucial.

“They were just worried and wanted to make sure you’re okay.” He kissed his forehead. “We can stay here as long as you need.”

Alexander smiled and shook his head. “I think Mary would break my neck if I stole you for too long..”

John’s phone buzzed and he checked to find messages from Hercules coming through.

[Herc: yo] [Herc: my parents are throwin a sort of ‘welcome home ma’ thing 2moro nite] [Herc: you guys in?] [Herc: wait im dumb] [ Herc added Alex to the chat ]

Alexander’s phone began to buzz in sync with John’s now.

[Herc: party @ mine 2moro] [Herc: bring booze :P] [Herc: also sorry in advance for my terrible, terrible parents]

[Laf: Ooh! Sounds like fun!]

[John: I’m down.]

John smiled. “I think it sounds fun. We can be here for the rest of the day and the day after or find something to do with all of my siblings.”

[Laf: Can’t wait to get drunk with my friends again <3]

[John: You’re such a sap.]

[Laf: You hush.] [Laf: Can I bring Rosie, please?]

[Herc: I’d be offended if you didn’t bring her, kitten! <3]

[Alex: r u calin laf kiten or rosy?]

[Herc: I dont think I called anyone 'kiten’ ]

[Alex: u suck] [Alex: OMG] [Alex: LAF] [Alex: bring moer of teh wine frm last tiem if u hve any <3 <3 <3] [Alex: it was so goooood]

[Laf: I don’t, but I can definitely find another good bottle.]

[Herc: Dad says he’s got whiskey and cola if u guys want some]

[Alex: ew]

[Herc: ma’s got prosecco?]

[Alex: i forgt how much i love ur mom]

[Laf: You can bring that vodka you were hiding in your room.] [Laf: Unless I wasn’t supposed to mention it.] [Laf: Then nevermind.]

[John: Now its sounding like a party.] John chuckled and turned to Alexander with a devious grin. “Hiding vodka in your room? Such a rebel.” He teased, repeating what Alexander had texted him during class. “If Laf wasn’t supposed to tell me, I could keep it quiet for a kiss.” He wiggled his eyebrows playfully and leaned in for a kiss.

[Alex: dam it laf] [Alex: sfine tho] [Alex: #canttameme]

[Herc: hah!] [Herc: Did you use fake id to get it? ;)]

[Alex: No, i told them i was ur son, buyin it 4 his old man]

[Herc: …touche] [Herc: Jack’s gonna be wrecked <3] Alexander laughed at the conversation before turning to John. “What are you gonna do? Tell the teacher?” He smirked back, mirroring John’s response before granting him that sweet kiss. He lingered his lips lovingly over John’s for a few seconds more than usual before grinning into them and pulling back. “Is my deep, dark secret safe?”

John smiled and kissed back, cupping Alexander’s cheek gently. “Your secret’s safe. For now. But you owe me more kisses later, once I don’t have four kids waiting downstairs for me. Right now, what do you say to going downstairs with them and getting some food?”

[Laf: Glad you’re not upset! : D] [Laf: I give it ten minutes before John will be wasted.]

[John: You guys need to fuck off.] .

[Herc: We did that last time and you guys complained ;D]

[ Alex has left the chat ]

[ Herc added Alex to the chat ]

[Alex: dnt traumaties me!] Alexander shoved his phone into his pocket before nodding to John’s suggestion.

[Laf: : O] [Laf: Herc has no shame!] [Laf: And neither do I!] [Laf: I was the most sober one and I clearly remember John banging on the door and asking us to stop about halfway through.]

[John: I] [John: was] [John: drunk!] [John: So shut up!]

[Laf: Whats the fun in that? : P]

[John: We’ll see you guys tomorrow.] He put his phone in his pocket and held Alexander’s hand as he led him downstairs. “Pizza time!” He gave everyone a plate of pizza and they ate in the living room, the kids putting on Moana and John singing along to every song like a kid.

Mary sat up on the couch with Alexander, everyone else on the floor. “Are you okay?”

Alexander nodded. “Of course. John made me feel better.” He smiled. “You’ve got the best big brother in the world.”

“I know.” She smiled proudly.

Alexander returned the smile and kept eating as he watched the movie, occasionally rubbing his leg against John’s side to say 'I’m happy you’re here’ without being too mushy.

After another minute, Mary couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Why does dad hate Johnny so much?.. All he did was like a boy..”

It took a lot of self-restraint for Alexander not to go on a rant about how much of a homophobic ass their father was, but it wasn’t up to him to tell her. “Things are complicated.. They won’t always be like that, but you have to be strong for him right now.”

Mary nodded, accepting that answer. “Okay.. You’d better take care of him until then…”

Alexander smiled. “Of course. But..” He upped his volume since the movie was over. “Does that mean I can’t kick his butt at Super Smash Bros?”

John grinned and turned around, the other boys already turning the game on. “I’m going to destroy you.”

“We’ll see about that,” he shrugged as he stretched, smiling at the empty plate in his lap. He only ate one slice, but progress was progress.

John took the plates to the sink and put the pizza in the fridge before coming back and sitting beside Alexander, kissing his cheek.

The boys gave them both a controller and let them duke it out, wanting to watch before joining.

“Promise to love me after I destroy you?” Alexander teased as he chose Jigglypuff.

“I would if you had a chance,” John shot back, choosing Kirby before starting the game. For the most part, he only attacked when he had a weapon, button mashing the fan seeming to be his favorite, or when Alexander was weak enough to just be thrown off the side, in which case he just spat his character off the edge of the stage. “So close, but so far.” He grinned before leaning in for a kiss.

“Says Mr B-down Kirby,” Alexander whined, refusing to give John a kiss in mock heartbreak. “Woe is me,” he sighed dramatically. “I’m left so defeated, I can hardly look at you. Mary will have to be my new best friend.”

“Yay!”

John pouted, but he couldn’t stop himself from smiling as Alexander got along with his baby sister. “You’re just going to replace me like that? If you’re too tired to kiss, the least you can do is let me kiss you,” he whined in response before draping himself over Alexander, covering his face in a flurry of kisses.

Alexander laughed before finally letting himself kiss John, smiling lovingly as he did. “Alright, I guess you can still be my best friend. Only because you buy me food.” He glanced over at Mary. “You’re a close second, though.”

She, like the boys, pretended to be heartbroken, groaning. “I guess that’s okay.”

John chuckled and kissed Alexander again, catching him off guard.

And he was never going to stop loving when he did that. He knew it. But he was a bit embarrassed being around John’s siblings. “We’re going to gross out your brothers.”

“They’re all zoned out. They’ll be fine.” John smiled and kissed Alexander’s cheek. “Besides, I’ve got you trapped.” At some point, he had, in fact, trapped Alexander under his weight, though he was careful not to hurt him.

Alexander rolled his eyes playfully and let John be, taking his word for it.

Before long, at least, before what felt like long, all four kids were asleep on the floor and the two older guys were close behind.

“I’ll get them up to bed. You go and wait for me.” John pecked Alexander’s lips one last time before letting him free. He got his siblings one-by-one and put them all in bed, making sure Alexander was upstairs resting as he did. He smiled when he saw him fast asleep in his bed and did one more check on his siblings, finding Martha sitting up, now wide awake.

“Hey.. You okay?..”

She shook her head, tears falling from her eyes.

John frowned and shut the door behind him, going towards her and sitting right in front of her. “What’s wrong?..”

“You’re going to have to go again..” she whimpered, leaning towards him. “I’m so tired…”

John held her close, cradling her like she was three years old again and he was seven, both adjusting to their new lives. “I’m so sorry.. You are so strong…”

“I’m not as strong as you.. Nothing bad even happens anymore and I can’t take it sometimes.. I just want to be a kid..”

“I know.. I’m so sorry.. I promise things will get better. I promise you’ll be able to be a kid. You don’t have to burden yourself so much.. They’re all older than we both know and you know that…”

“I miss mom..”

John held her closer, unable to stop a few tears from hitting her head. “So do I..”

The pair stayed like that, using each other’s strength until they both ran out and fell asleep. Early the next morning, John woke up and kissed Martha’s forehead before going back to his room and laying with Alexander, sleeping for another few, peaceful hours. Peaceful.. He’d have to take advantage of that.

Naturally, Alexander was the first to wake up after that. He smiled as he saw John’s sleeping, peaceful face and took it in for a minute, kissing his forehead. He slowly sat up and got up, wincing lightly as his injured leg felt the pressure of his weight. He took a deep, silent breath and got to his feet, going to the bathroom and taking a quick shower before going downstairs and making breakfast. John did it for him so often, it was only fair. He smiled and made some eggs and bacon, then took the plate up to John’s room. He sat beside him and kissed his cheek, gently waking him up. “Hey.. Rise and shine, sleeping beauty..”

John woke up easily and smiled at Alexander, kissing his cheek. “Is that for me?..”

“Yep. I wanted to make you breakfast.”

“Thank you.” He sat up and ate his breakfast, giving some to Alexander. When he finished, he kissed Alexander’s cheek and got up. “Alright. I’ve had breakfast from my amazing boyfriend, now I’m back to being a spoiling older brother.” He went downstairs with Alexander trailing behind him and began going around, making breakfast for the other four Laurens.

Alexander watched him dash expertly around the kitchen. It was as if he never left. And it was heartbreaking. How anyone could tear him away from that, he’d never know. No wonder he was so eager to keep things to himself. His siblings seemed happy as they came downstairs and ate and, to John, that must’ve been worth the world.

By the time he finished, Alexander began texting in the group chat again.

 


	34. Chapter 34

[Alex: morning] [Alex: wat tiem is the party thin l8r?]

[Herc: I was thinking like… 8pm?] [Herc: Take your time tho. Mum’s got a bunch of outfits out 2day. We have Schuylers coming in]

[Alex: neat] [Alex: wate] [Alex: liek… eliza? angie? pegy?]

[Herc: You know them?]

[Alex: used 2] [Alex: liza gave me pip]

[Herc: wana stop by and say hi or…?]

[Alex: idk… i dnt wan her 2 b mad @ me] [Alex: i set a smal fier wen i was in there scool]

[Herc: Fucking hell.]

[Alex: :/]

[Herc: Sorry. Didn’t mean it like that. Just… I’ll let you know when they’ve gone. It’s cool.]

[Alex: thx] [Alex: tel them i say hi tho] [Alex: liza was niec 2 me]

[Laf: Ooh! Herc! Ask your mom if I can come over and try on those outfits today!] [Laf: I’ve been looking forward to it ever since she told me! : D]

[Herc: I’ll ask <3]

[John: You’re always looking forward to fashion : P]

[Laf: You should learn to do the same, mon ami! Wearing sweaters is only okay for so long! : P]

[Alex: ugh] [Alex: lame]

[Herc: Says Mr. I-Wear-The-Same-Hoodie-Every-Day] [ Herc changed Alex’s name to HoodBud ] [Hoodbud: wtf]

[John: Lol]

[Laf: You’re excellent at make up, so you can hide your scars like that, if that’s the problem.] [Laf: Was that rude?]

[John: Its fine. I was thinking about doing that, but it’d be kind of obvious because freckles. They’d be missing.]

[Laf: I think you’d look just fine! : D] [Laf: No matter how much everyone adores your freckles : P]

[John: I have a really good concealer. I’ll try it. Thanks Laf.] [Laf: Of course!]

[Herc: Ma says she’s happy to have you, Laf!] [Herc: Or rather, and I quote;] [Herc: ‘taffy! of course, baby!’]

[Hoodbud changed Herc’s name to MamasBoi]

[MamasBoi: Damn right.]

[Hoodbud: :/]

[Herc changed Hoodbud’s name to Roasted]

[Roasted: har har] [Roasted: v. funny]

[John: You guys are children. Laf, why are we dating these children?]

[Laf: Because we are not much better, mon ami.]

[John changed Laf’s name to French Fashionista ] [John: I see your point.]

[Laf: Joke’s on you! I like that name! : D]

[ John changed French Fashionista’s name to Momma Kitten ]

[Momma Kitten: : D]

[John: There’s no winning with you, if there?] [ John changed Momma Kitten’s name to Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette ]

[Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette: Noooooo! Why do you have my full name memorized?! Do you have no life?!]

[John: : D]

[Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette: I can’t even do it back because your name isn’t even Jonathan! Its just John!] [ Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette changed John’s name to Basic Name Bitch ]

[Basic Name Bitch: Can’t argue with you there.]

Alexander rolled his eyes and volunteered to clean everyone’s plates for them. They all thanked him and ran off, getting ready to go see Herc and Laf. As Alexander finished up, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He dried off his hands before checking it, finding a message form John Jay…

[Hey!! So! Me and Aaron were thinking of meeting up today for food and club talks! You in??]

Alexander wasn’t exactly one to hang out with friends, he didn’t have many, but Aaron seemed the same, so maybe it was important. He went up to John, wrapping up his arms around his waist and showing him the texts. “Jay asked me to hang out with him and Aaron.. I feel like it might be important, but I don’t want to just run out on you…”

“I think you should go. I’d be completely alright with it. I’ll see you at Herc’s place later anyways. Maybe I can take them to Herc’s place so I can see Sarah while I’m still sober.” She hadn’t met John’s siblings yet, but he didn’t doubt that she’d want to. “Otherwise, I can just hang out with them here. I’ll text Herc now.” He kissed his cheek and grabbed his phone.

[Basic Name Bitch: Yo, Herc! Can I tag along? Alex wants to do some club stuff, so I thought maybe Laurens 1-5 could come and watch Laf model or something.]

[Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette: Ooh! I have a better idea! Maybe Laurens 1 could do some modelling himself! : D He’s pretty enough!] [Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette: Herc! Quick! Ask your mom before he can refuse!]

[Basic Name Bitch: Lol, I’d be down. No need for all that. I do this type of thing with Laurens 2 and 5. Only if Sarah’s okay with it.]

[MamasBoi: I explained like half of this conversation to ma and she was on board!] [MamasBoi: bonus; she says she’s got a skirt for your dad too :P]

[Basic Name Bitch: Don’t bring that Laurens into this. He’s the only unpleasant one in the entire species. I’m going to get nightmares.]

[Roasted: yall had beter sned me pix]

[ MamasBoi changed Roasted’s name to Jefferson ]

[Jefferson: wow] [Jefferson: woooooooooow] [Jefferson: rude]

[Basic Name Bitch: Ugh, I just threw up in my mouth a bit.]

[Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette: He managed to give him a worse name than mine D :] [ Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette changed Jefferson’s name to Baby Brother ] [Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette: :D]

[ Basic Name Bitch changed Baby Brother’s name to John’s boy ] [Basic Name Bitch: : D]

[Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette: Perfect!]

Alexander chuckled and finally responded to Jay, having too much fun with his friends. [suer- were did u hav in midn?] He glanced up at John with puppy dog eyes. “Can you brush my hair? And not because I definitely love you playing with it.”

John smiled. “No problem. Not because I love playing with it.”

Alexander smiled and walked upstairs with him, texting as they walked.

[John’s Boy: aw yiss] [John’s Boy: i can life w/ dis naem] [John’s Boy: also] [John’s Boy changed Basic Name Bitch’s nickname to Alex'Bitch]

[Alex'Bitch: Wow.] [Alex'Bitch: This coming from the guy that wears my shirts and acts cute for my attention.] [Alex'Bitch: This will not stand.] [ Alex'Bitch changed John’s Boy’s name to John’s Bitch ] [Alex'Bitch: At least this is closer to true.]

[MamasBoi: how romantic XD] [MamasBoi changed Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette’s nickname to Kitty Mom]

[John’s Boy: im startin 2 thnk laf relly did shit out a kiten]

[MamasBoi: ..is that what you call birth??] [MamasBoi: shitting out??]

[John’s Boy: its BASIKLY that]

[MamasBoi: Thank Christ you’re dating a dude.]  

John chuckled and looked at Alexander as he sat in front of him, messing up his ponytail.

“Hey!”

“Change my name to something decent and I’ll fix it,” he teased.

“And if I don’t?”

“No more kisses all day.”

[John’s Bitch changed Alex'Bitch’s name to somethingdecent]

[MamasBoi: …??]

[John’s Bitch: Joooooon was wining] [John’s Bitch: so i] [John’s Bitch: as his romantik bf] [John’s Bitch: caem thru 4 him <3] [John’s Both: no need to thnk me] [John’s Bitch: al in a days work]

[somethingdecent: Well…] [somethingdecent: I asked for this.]

[MamasBoi: Whipped!]

[John’s Bitch: laf Ur dog needs walkin]

[MamasBoi changed John’s Bitch’s name to Bitch]

[Bitch: i deserv this]

Alexander turned to John and sat in his lap. “Can I have kisses again?”

“In a sec.”

[ somethingdecent changed Bitch’s name to John’s Bitch ] [somethingdecent: Better.]

He turned back to Alexander. “There’ Now, I guess, you can have a little kiss.” He leaned up and pecked his lips.. Then kissed him passionately.

“Mmph!” Alexander’s eyes widened in surprise, though he kissed John back. “Oh my god,” he gasped with a wide grin. “If that’s a little kiss, I can’t imagine what a big kiss is like.”

[ John’s Bitch changed somethingdecent’s name to OhMyGod:* ]

[MamasBoi: …I’m willing to bet my wages that those two are making out.]

[OhMyGod: *: You’d be correct, Mama’s Boy.]

[Kitty Mom: Leave him alone! You know his mother is amazing.]

[OhMyGod: *: True]

John turned to Alexander with a mischievous grin. “Want another big kiss?” He leaned in and pressed his lips to Alexander’s in another passionate kiss.

Alexander wrapped his arms around John’s neck and held him close until he had to pull away. “Yellow,” he gasped when he did. “You’re going to get us caught, crazy.” The grin on his face said he wasn’t so much upset by the fact as he was not wanting to be embarrassed.

“Alright, I’m sorry,” John 'apologized’ between laughs. “As an apology, I’ll make sure that you get pictures of me all dressed up.”

“I assumed you were going to do that anyways.”

“Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t, now we’ll never know,” he grinned cheekily.

Alexander laughed and checked his phone, tutting at the message.

[we’re here already so come when you’re ready!!:)]

“I gotta go.. Jay’s here. But I’ll see you later, okay?”

John nodded and stood up with him. “No problem. I’ll walk you out.” He led Alexander to the front door and waved at him as he got in the car with Aaron and Jay, not to thrilled about either of them. Once they were gone, he got back on his phone.

[OhMyGod:*: Hey, Herc, Alex is leaving to talk with the guys from the debates society. Can you ask your mom when it’d be okay for us all to go over?]

[Kitty Mom: Ask about me too, please. Also, John, I’m dying to see Laurens 2-4 again <3]

[OhMyGod:*: I bet they want to see you too.]

[MamasBoi: On it!] [MamasBoi: Ma says everyone’s welcome whenever.] [MamasBoi: she also says you’re not exempt, Alex ;) she’ll nab you for outfits 2night.]

[John’s Bitch: ur mom is mersiless]

[MamasBoi: cmoooonnnn] [MamasBoi: Joooooohn’d like it!]

[John’s Bitch: dnt blackmale me]

[MamasBoi: I mean, if you don’t wanna look cute for him…]

[John’s Bitch: i ALWYAS look cyute 4 hm >:(] [John’s Bitch: fien] [John’s Bitch: jst nothin gross]

[MamasBoi: yessir!]

[OhMyGod:*: Herc, tell your mom that there will be five freckled children there as soon as Laf can come take us.]

[Kitty Mom: Gee, thanks for asking.] [Kitty Mom: I guess I can take you all. It’ll be a tight fit in the car, but it can be done.] [Kitty Mom: Give me half an hour.]

And, as promised, Lafayette showed up, all of John’s siblings going out and tackling him in hugs. “It has been far too long.” He smiled and got all of them in the car, John getting in the passenger’s seat as he watched them interact. Lafayette was almost like a big brother or cousin to them and so was Hercules. While them being unable to see Lafayette or Hercules wasn’t nearly as painful as the same with John, it still sucked for them.

Alexander smiled as Aaron drove them to some cafe that he’d never heard of before, sitting in the backseat.

“You seem happy,” Jay pointed out.

“I just had breakfast with John’s family. I only met them last night.”

“Cute! I guess I can be your resident John for now.”

“Yeah…”

“Don’t you have something to say after yesterday?”

Jay shrunk down a bit in his seat. “Yeah.. I’m sorry about how I acted yesterday… You were right, Thomas told me to do that and I shoud’ve said no…”

“It’s fine.. Just keep him away from John. He’s such a-”

“I get it,” Jay snapped, causing Alexander to shut up. “Sorry.. He’s my best friend..”

“Its fine.. And I forgive you…”

John listened as they all got caught up, having already had his time with them, and smiled. It may not have been permanent, but it was still nice to see them so happy in the backseat. When they got to the shop, poor Hercules answered the door having clearly not expected any of them so early. He’d just gotten out of the shower and thrown on some clothes, but he was still glad to see everyone there, leading them to the back workroom of the shop between the house and the shop. “Hey guys. Ma should be up soon.” He knelt down to the same level as Mary and held his arms open. “I haven’t seen you in forever! Does Uncle Hercules get a hug?”

She smiled widely and ran into his open arms, hugging him tightly. “I missed you!”

it wasn’t long before her twin brothers joined in on the hug, pouncing on Hercules.

Naturally, Lafayette pulled off his hoodie and joined in on the fun, tackling Herc in a hug with the triplets laughing between them.

Their combined weight was too much for poor Hercules and he was knocked off of his feet, though he was laughing just as hard as everyone else.

“Hey, Uncle Herc is getting old,” John teased. “Careful not to break his hip.”

“Oh, ha ha.”

“/Uncle/ Herc?” Sarah asked as she came into the room.

“Yeah, don’t you remember my brother’s kids?”

“I don’t remember you having a brother.” She smiled and turned to John. “Johnny, it’s so good to see you. Don’t think you’re getting away without a hug.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He smiled and accepted his fate as Sarah pulled him into a bone crushing hug, holding Lafayette’s hoodie out of the way.

After a few seconds of too much movement, Rosie popped her head out of the pocket to yawn.

“Oh, look,” Sarah fawned, gently taking her out. “ Oh, she’s so precious. Is this your daughter, Taffy?”

“Yes she is. Her name is Rosie.”

“She is the sweetest little thing.” She cooed and pet her.

Rosie yawned and stretched before curling up in her hands, making her gasp in amusement. “Oh, we’re keeping the poor dear up, I’m sorry.” She gave her back to John, who made her a tiny bed out of Lafayette’s jacket, and began looking through clothing racks, pulling out a yellow dress. The top was decorated with sunflowers and the skirt was made up of layered yellow tulle, a white ribbon tied in the middle and held together in the back by a flower. “Here we go. Try this on, Taffy.”

Lafayette smiled and took the dress, admiring it. “It’s really nice.” He took it from her and went to the changing room.

While he changed, Sarah turned to Hercules. “Didn’t you have something for John?”

“Yeah, I did.” He looked through the racks and pulled out a dress. “Now, I know you didn’t want anything over-the-top, but this dress was made for you. Like I literally made it for you.”

John could see why he gave him the warning. The white illusion top with blue flowers printed all over it and dark blue lace skirt, it was a bit too feminine for John’s tastes, but it wasn’t going to hurt him. “Alright. I’ll try it on.” He took the dress as Lafayette came back in his and went to the changing room.

Hercules’s jaw dropped when he saw him in the dress. He looked gorgeous as usual, of course. How that model was his boyfriend, he’d never know. “You look great,” he managed to say after a minute of gawking.

“Thank you.” Lafayette kissed his cheek.

Before he went out and showed everyone how he looked, John took a mirror selfie in his normal clothes, adding the caption [Before -_-] and sent it to Alexander. A minute later, he sent one of him in his dress captioned [After <3]. Then he went out to everyone else.

Alexander was walkign into the cafe with Aaron and Jay in the cafe when he got the texts from John. He smiled brightly and responded [woaahhhh!!!] [luk @ uuu!] [y r u dating me? jfc] [i need 2 step up my gaem] [u look amasing bby <3].

“So,” Jay started, “you wanted to talk about making an art program?”


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Use of rohypnol

“Yeah. I’m sure we could get the support, we just need the funding and I got an idea on how to raise the money. Kind of like a prom, but for the lower years.”

Aaron nodded. “That’s not a bad idea. We could get some prospective future members to help us decorate to help keep the budget low.”

“That sounds perfect. John can’t know about this, though..”

“Of course. For now, we do need to get the word out about this.”

Jay grinned. “I know someone who’s popular and in student council.”

“No.”

“What? Why?” Jay almost looked hurt.

“I’m pretty sure you know why.”

“He’ll be helpful, I know it. Don’t you want this to work out?”

Alexander sighed. Why’d he have to play that card? “Fine..”

Jay smiled and texted Thomas, asking him to join them. [Hey, I may have a way to get you back with John. Come to our usual cafe.]

[Seriously? xx] [I don’t buy it, but I’ll go xx]

“He’s coming. In the mean time, I’ll get us some coffee.” He got up and went to the counter. He may have been friends with Thomas, but he didn’t know the whole story of what happened between him and John. All he knew was that they broke up very suddenly and Thomas did not like that. He brought the coffee back to the table and sat across from Aaron and Alexander.

“Thanks.. Is he on his way?..”

“Yep!”

Alexander frowned and took a sip of his coffee, scrunching up his nose. It was way too bitter. He got up and got some sugar, then came back to find Jefferson already there.

“Where is Ally?” Sarah asked as John came back out of the changing room.

“He’s with some friends for a school thing. Aaron Burr and John Jay.”

“Well, I know who my favorite John is.” She smiled.

Mary smiled and went up to John. “You look like a princess.”

“Why, thank you.” He kneeled down and kissed her cheek. “So do you.”

“Hmm… Come here for a sec.”

John got up and went towards Sarah.

“Here you go.” She tucked a bit of his hair back with a flower hair clip. “There! Now you look perfect!”

John smiled and looked at his reflection. Sarah was right, the flower did add to his appearance. The brightness of the yellow center brought out his freckles and the blue petals went well with the dress.

“He’s almost as pretty as me,” Lafayette joked.

“Oh, whatever.” He got out his phone and sent Alexander another selfie and a few texts, chuckling when he saw that he’d taken a screenshot of his other picture. [I’m dating you because you don’t need to dress up to look this good.] [Thanks, babe <3] [I wish you were here] [Some other time, I’ll wear whatever you choose <3] Then he sent a picture of Laf in his dress. [Laf thinks he’s prettier. What do you think?]

Alexander didn’t even notice his phone buzzing as he pulled out his laptop and began typing down the ideas that they talked about, drinking the hot chocolate that he wanted to use to wash that awful bitter coffee taste from his mouth. Jay had bought it for him, not giving him much of a choice, but he didn’t want to complain. At least he wasn’t alone with Thomas, who sat on the other side of their table.

Aaron furrowed his eyebrows a bit as he saw Alexander’s unusually bad grammar on the word document. “Are you alright?..”

“Yeah..” Probably just nervous, but he didn’t want to admit it with Thomas right there.

“So… You guys needed me for something?”

“We need you to spread the word about a dance that we want to hold to start an art program. Alexander wants to keep it a surprise from John.”

So that’s what Jay meant. “Yeah, I can do that. What’s in it for me?”

Alexander visibly tensed up.

“We were hoping that you could do it just to help us out. And your reputation could use some help.”

Thomas tutted and took a sip of his own coffee. “I’m in.”

“Red..” Alexander muttered to himself.

“What?..” Aaron asked, feeling Alexander’s forehead. He didn’t look too good.

“Red,” he whined a bit louder as he flinched away from Aaron’s hand.

“Alexander, you’re burning up. I’m going to text John to come pick you up, okay?”

Alexander nodded at the mention of John and didn’t fight as Aaron reached across and grabbed his phone.

[Hey John, this is Aaron. Alexander isn’t feeling well and he doesn’t look too good. Can you come pick him up?]

[I’ll be there in a minute.]

“John’s coming soon. Don’t worry.”

Alexander nodded and reached for his drink, taking another sip to try and help himself feel better. His nose scrunched up at the taste again.

“Didn’t you say it was tasting weird?..” Aaron asked.

Thomas furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Jay, seeing him shrinking down in his seat. “Let me see that cup..” He reached over the table and Alexander whimpered loudly.

What a perfect moment for John to come through the door. He glanced over and saw Thomas reaching towards Alexander, then glared.

Thomas quickly pulled his hand away and looked away, feeling a chill go down his spine at John’s murderous glare. As beautiful as he was when he was mad, he could also be terrifying.

John walked over and knelt down beside Alexander, holding his hand. “Hey.. I’m here now. You’re going to be okay.. Let’s go, okay?”

Alexander nodded and let John lead him out, John having to support all of his weight as he did. There were a few stares from the other people in the cafe, but nobody moved to do anything.

“JJ, what did you do?”

“Nothing!”

“Looks like a whole lot of nothing to me.”

Jay sighed. “Okay.. Maybe a little something..”

“I’m dead.” Thomas rested his face in his hands. “What kind of something?”

“… Rohypnol…”

Thomas looked at Jay like he grew a second head, which, with John after him, would not have been a bad thing.

“Don’t look at me like that. They were your idea.”

“Yeah, /before/. And I told you it was a stupid idea. How many did you give him?”

“Four… Two in each drink…”

Thomas’s eyes went wide with shock. “On someone as tiny as him?!”

Aaron cleared his throat, reminding the pair that he was still there, listening.

“I know what you’re thinking, but I had nothing to do with this. This was all him.”

“What were you doing drugging him in the first place?” he scolded them both. “And I’m not the one you’ll have to worry about. Pulling a stunt like this, you’ll end up like James Reynolds.”

Thomas may not have been around at the time, but John Jay clearly remembered freshman year when John beat up James Reynolds for hitting Maria late in her pregnancy. He had to be taken away by an ambulance and John got away, claiming self defense.

John put Alexander in the back of Lafayette’s car and got in beside him, letting him lay his head in his lap. “Can you take us to my apartment, please?..”

“No problem.” Lafayette began driving towards the building.

The ride was silent besides the sound of John furiously texting. What the fuck did you do to him?] [I thought we had a fucking deal. What happened to staying out of each other’s way?] [What? Just because he broke a promise with you, you have to do this to him?] [Alexander can hardly speak to explain what happened, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.] Within a few more seconds, he put the pieces together. [Did you fucking drug him?!]

“Hey, I’m in the clear! I’m not the one that did this. Blame Captain Blue-Balls over here.”

“I was just trying to get him out of the way for you! You’re the one who said-”

“Who cares what I said? The one chance I get at making things right with John and he’s-” He was cut off by his phone buzzing, going pale as he read the messages. [*I* did *nothing*! xx] [I know this looks bad, but hear me out xx] [JJ did this. Not me. xx] [I didn’t lay a finger on your boytoy. He was dazed out when I got here. xx]

[You know, I want to believe you, but you can’t blame me for being able to.] [He’s babbling and can’t finish a sentence or walk on his own. He doesn’t seem okay.] [You and John had better be praying that Alexander will be okay.] [After yesterday, I trusted you.] [Just thought you should know that before I put you and/or Jay in a coma.]

“I’m so dead,” Thomas whined before glaring at John. “Once he kills me, I’m coming after you.”

“You’re the one who said we were doing just fine without Alexander sticking his beak into our business and you wanted John back.”

“I just promise to keep my beak out of John’s business.”

Jay shook his head, in denial. “Once he sleeps this off, this’ll all be forgotten. He won’t do anything.”

“You’re talking about the person who hated me for a year after grabbing him once and after he broke my nose.”

Aaron sighed. “Thomas, give me John’s number. I’ll tell him you didn’t do any of this.”

“You’re a life saver!” He quickly grabbed his phone and handed it to Aaron.

“Thirsty,” Alexander whined as he laid in John’s bed, holding onto one of his hands for dear life. everything felt too much. His mouth was too dry, his clothes were too heavy, everything was too bright and too loud. “Joooohhhhnnn…” That was all that seemed to make him feel any better.

“I’m here.. I’m going to get you some water.” He kissed his forehead.

Alexander nodded and let go of his hand.

John went to the kitchen and got Alexander a glass of water, feeling his phone buzz as he did.

[John Laurens? This is Aaron Burr. You should know that John Jay was the one who was responsible for this, not Thomas Jefferson.] [I know its a tough thing to ask, but please don’t harm Jay too much. Not only for his sake, but for yours and for Alexander’s. There’s already a lot of gossip going around right now with his name in the headlines.]

[Alright. Thanks.] [I promise I won’t seriously damage him, just as long as Alexander comes out of this unharmed.] [By the way, tell Jay to go fuck himself. Alexander’s as high as a kite right now.] [Also, please ask him to wear something that blood can easily wash out of or that a bloodstain won’t be too visible on. That’s more for his sake than mine.]

“Done.” Aaron showed Thomas and Jay the messages.

“Oh, thank god, you are a saint!”

“I’m so dead… I’m going home.” Jay got up and walked out.

“And about this dance thing, forget any payment. I’m in. I owe John that much, anyways.”

“Alright. And, just to be clear, you won’t be taking any credit for this. This is Alexander’s idea. But, maybe, I can tell him that you helped.”

“That’s all I’m asking for.” He smiled. “Just send me ticket prices and the date and I can make all of your dreams come true.” He didn’t mean to be so flirty, but it was just that deeply embedded in his personality.

“Right. Is there any chance you have an idea on where to do this?”

He grinned. “Jefferson Hall, easy. My family owns a dance hall not too far from here. I should be able to get you a night there.”

Aaron was surprised by just how helpful Thomas was. “Great. Thank you.”

Thomas nodded. “Anytime. I’m heading out.” He got up and left.

John brought Alexander his water and kissed his forehead as he gave it to him. “There you go.”

Alexander smiled and took the cup from him, his hands shaking like leaves. He tried to take a sip, but ended up spilling the water all over the carpet. “Oops.. I’m sorry..” He pouted and sniffled, about to cry.

“No, don’t cry. It was an accident.”

“Okay.. Can we color?”

“Yeah, of course.” He brought Alexander a coloring book and a box of crayons, letting him sprawl over his bed and color. He went completely outside of the lines and the colors he used were all over the page in an almost psychedelic fashion, but it was no surprise with the drugs coursing through Alexander’s veins. “It looks so pretty.”

“You’re prettier.”

“Aww, I think you’re prettier.”

Alexander giggled and leaned against him, almost acting child-like. “My John,” he hummed in a sing-song voice.

John smiled and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. “Are you hungry?”

Alexander nodded. “No coffee.”

“Understood.” He got up and went to the kitchen, getting some leftover pizza and heating it up before bringing it to Alexander. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” He put down his crayons and ate, scarfing down the pizza like he hadn’t eaten in days. He went through three slices and even ate the crusts before yawning. “Tired..”

“Let’s take a nap then, okay?”

He nodded and laid down, curling up under John’s blankets and falling asleep hard and fast.

John kissed his forehead and let him sleep.


	36. Chapter 36

When he woke up hours later, Alexander groaned and sat up, feeling bloated from the pizza and overall, just gross. “John?..” He tried shaking him awake. “John?..” He looked over and saw that he was shaking a pillow. He frowned and looked around, finding a note on the nightstand in John’s handwriting.

[Hey, Alex. If you’re reading this, I’m not at the apartment. I left to make sure my siblings were back home and okay and I’m going to make them some dinner. I left at 5 and I should be back no later than 6. If you want something specific for dinner, please text me to tell me. Otherwise, please text me anyways when you’re awake and let me know how you’re feeling. I’ll explain everything that I know when I get back. I love you <3]

Alexander tutted and looked at the time. 5:48. At least he’d be back soon. He grabbed his phone and texted him. [hey] [im awaek] [awake*] [miss u] Then he figured that he at least owed Aaron a thanks. [hey] [im ok] [thnx 4 2day] [rly] [oew u big time] He sighed and put his phone in his pocket, then quickly took it back out. “What?..” He threw back the covers and gasped in horror at the warm, wet patch spread across the mattress. It couldn’t exactly be helped with the drugs in his system, but still.. Did it have to be in John’s bed?.. He got up and stripped the sheets off of the bed before stripping off his wet clothes and heading to the bathroom, taking a quick shower. He put on some of John’s clothes and put a new set of bed sheets on the bed before taking the rest downstairs to the building’s shared washing machines.

Aaron was the first to respond to the text messages. [I’m glad to hear that.] [Thomas didn’t have anything to do with it, by the way. It was Jay.] [He got the drugs from Thomas, but he only gave them to him to get rid of. He said he never was going to use them on you.] [But I don’t blame you if you don’t believe me.]

John responded soon after. [I miss you too. I’ll be home soon, I promise <3] [Do you want anything in particular to eat? I’ll make you whatever you want whenever I get home.]

Alexander smiled and went to the group chat, figuring the rest of his friends would want to know he was okay.

[John’s Bitch: hey] [John’s Bitch: i lived] [John’s Bitch: kinda] [John’s Bitch: evrythin is sore] [John’s Bitch: but im ok]

[Kitty Mom: Thank goodness! I was so worried about you!]

[MamasBoi: thank fuck] [MamasBoi: what happened?? Jefferson?]

[John’s Bitch: idk] [John’s Bitch: i dnt thnk so] [John’s Bitch: i dnt trst jay]

[Kitty Mom: I hope you feel better soon. Are you guys still up for the party tonight?]

[OhMyGod:*: Not sure.]

[Kitty Mom: Maybe we should reschedule?]

[OhMyGod:*: Not if it’d be too much trouble. Its more Alexander’s choice.]

[John’s Bitch: no its cwl] [John’s Bitch: ur mom jst caem home] [John’s Bitch: we shoud selebr8]

[MamasBoi: you sure?] [MamasBoi: At least take it easy with drinks ;P]

[John’s Bitch: wil do] [John’s Bitch: no intenshons of goin loopy] [John’s Bitch: ..agen]

[Kitty Mom: Its fine <3 I’m just glad that you’re okay.] [Kitty Mom: I’ll snag that vodka bottle from your room.] [Kitty Mom: Hey, with that and all of the other alcohol around, there’s no doubt that John will get wasted! : D]

[OhMyGod:*: Why are you so happy for that?]

[Kitty Mom: Maybe seeing you act like an idiot will help him feel better! : D]

[OhMyGod:*: Wow…] [OhMyGod:*: Glad I can help.]

[Kitty Mom: <3 <3 <3]

John finally showed up as Alexander sat by the dryer and wrapped his arms around him, kissing his cheek. “Hey, I was so worried about you…”

“I’m okay.. Just a bit off..”

“Okay.. What are you doing down here?”

Alexander hesitated to respond. “I… I wet the bed.. I just woke up and.. Yeah… But I changed the sheets and everything.. I’m sorry..”

“I’m not upset or anything. I know you couldn’t help it.”

Alexander nodded, though he was still embarrassed by the fact.

John held him close. “I’m going to kill Jay on Monday.. I don’t know what he was planning on doing, but he used the date-rape drug on you..”

“He was acting funny since I got in the car.. Something about being my resident John and getting Jefferson there and buying my drinks.. I should’ve seen it..”

“You couldn’t have known. Those things are meant to be undetectable.. You’re okay now and that’s what matters…”

Alexander looked up at him. “Everything was blurry and bright and scary.. But you came and I knew everything was going to be okay..” He smiled.

John kissed his cheek and smiled. “Of course. You know there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. I love you so much..”

Alexander couldn’t help but blush. “I’m so lucky to have you.. Even when you make me eat my body’s weight in pizza,” he chuckled. He remembered pretty much everything from the past few hours.

John rolled his eyes playfully. “Yeah, yeah. Why don’t we take the sheets and your clothes upstairs, then get ready for the party?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

John grabbed everything from the dryer once it went off, then took it upstairs. He gave Alexander his clothes and folded his sheets, then left with him and walked to Herc’s place.

When they got there, Sarah greeted them with a wide smile. “Ally! It has been too long!” She pulled him into a tight hug before taking a second to look at him. “You’ve gained some weight, I see! That’s great!”

Maybe the others may not have noticed it as much, but it was definitely true. Compared to just a week ago, Alexander didn’t look nearly as frail, though he did feel like his eyes would pop out of his skull if Sarah hugged him like that again.

“Are you calling me fat?” he teased, causing her to roll her eyes.

“Oh, hush.” She smiled and turned to John. “Martha was such a little lady earlier, John. She insisted on helping clean before leaving. She’s so mature.”

John nodded. “That’s Martha for you.”

Sarah smiled and led them to the living room where Lafayette and Hercules were sitting on the sofa, already with drinks in their hand and shot glasses on the table.

“Hey, guys,” Hercules greeted. “Come join us.” The game in front of them was a Snakes and Ladders board modified for other purposes. Most spaces without a snake or ladder occupying it had an instruction written in instead.

John sat down with them and took the dice as Lafayette handed them to him. He chose a game piece and rolled the dice, moving as the dice instructed. He landed on a blank piece and tutted, giving the dice to Alexander. “Want to play?”

“Yeah, sure.” He rolled the dice and on ‘Down your drink’. “Ha! Stupid game, I don’t have a drink ye-” He cut himself off as Hercules pushed his glass of Guinness in his direction. “Gee, thanks. Herc-germs.” He picked up the glass and downed it’s contents. The glass had only been half full and the drink wasn’t particularly strong, so it was no mystery as to why he gave him that one.

Lafayette took his turn next, rolling the dice and landing on 'Everyone Takes a Shot’. He grinned and poured some of the vodka that he’d snagged from Alexander’s room into the shot glasses that surrounded the table.

Alexander almost wanted to protest, but he did practically drink all of Laf’s wine last time they’d gotten drunk. It was only fair. He took his shot and watched as Hercules took his turn, landing on a blank spot before handing John the dice.

John rolled the dice and moved his piece, also landing on 'Down Your Drink’. Before he could make the same joke as Alexander, Lafayette poured a glass of wine for him. “Thanks for the girly drink,” he joked, knowing how strong the drink really was as it scorched his throat. “Christ, Laf.”

Alexander watched and felt memories flood back of last time. He grabbed the sharpie from the table and scribbled untidily on a few of the blank tiles 'Kiss BF’.

Hercules chuckled. “Someone’s trying to say something.”

“Shut up.” He rolled the dice and moved his piece, landing on 'Next player takes a shot’. “There you go, Laf.”

He shrugged and downed the shot like it was nothing, taking his turn and landing on a blank space.

While Hercules took his turn, John turned to face Alexander with a cheeky grin. “If you wanted a kiss, all you had to do was ask.” He cupped Alexander’s face in his hands and pressed his lips to his in a loving kiss.

Alexander let his eyes fall shut as he kissed back, intoxicated by the taste of the wine on John’s tongue. He only pulled away when Hercules cleared his throat to get their attention. “What? Is it my turn?”

“No, Casanova, it’s where I landed.” He pointed at the 'Choose a player to take a shot’ written on the tile.

Alexander tutted and poured himself a shot, then downed it. He was certainly starting to feel a light buzz, though he could’ve sworn that it was more from the taste of John’s lips than of any alcohol he drank.

John watched him, in a love struck daze until Lafayette got his attention.

“Your turn, John.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He took the dice and moved, grinning as he landed on 'Kiss BF’. Perfect. He turned to Alexander and pulled him into a passionate kiss, not pulling away until he was out of breath. “How was that for a kiss?” he asked with a cheeky grin as he dropped the dice into Alexander’s palm.

All that escaped Alexander was a strained squeak. He blushed and rolled the dice, lazily rolling them across the board and landing on another 'Down Your Drink’ tile. He tutted and downed a glass of wine, though he thought it was too good to waste like that.

“Maybe you should skip a few turns..” Hercules suggested. After all, it wasn’t like Alexander hadn’t just gotten date raped. Still, Alexander made them promise not to bring it up, so he threw in a joke for good measure. “Otherwise, you’ll be borrowing condoms before you get up the stairs.”

Alexander shot him a playful glare, but it worked.

It worked for John, too. He went quiet for a second. “Maybe I should skip a few turns, too..”

Hercules cursed himself for that comment and cursed the alcohol for making him lose his ability to censor his thoughts.

Lafayette shifted everyone’s focus back to the game, taking his turn and landing on a blank space.

Hercules went next. Another blank space. They went back and forth like that for a minute until Alexander piped up.

“Don’t you have anything else to fill the spaces with?”

“Do you have anything in mind?” Hercules asked, offering the sharpie.

“Maybe..” He wrote on a few more blank spaces 'text’.

“Text?” Lafayette asked.

“Yeah. You choose someone and give them your phone and they choose anyone to text.”

“Very evil. I like it.” Hercules nodded in approval before offering John the dice.

“Sure.” He smiled a bit and took the dice, rolling them. Of course, he landed on 'text’. He pulled out his phone and pondered his choices. “Let’s see… Lafayette is embarrassing just being Lafayette, Hercules has no filter when drunk, and Alexander is Alexander..” He gave Alexander his phone.

Alexander rolled his eyes and went through his phone, already knowing exactly who to text. [madison, if u had a kid nd maed them angery, wud they be ur mad son? pls respond. v importnt.] Alexander handed back John’s phone, like he hadn’t just text James the most god awful pun. It wasn’t long before he got a reply.

[…I came out of a movie with Dolley to answer this.] [Damn it, man.]

John chuckled and responded. [Lol, so sorry dude] [We’re playing a game and I had to let Alexander text anyone he chose] [And he chose you] [So sorry :’ )] “Where would I be without my jealous boyfriend tormenting my business partner?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Lafayette took the dice and took his turn, landing on another 'Take a shot’ tile. He downed the shot with ease and passed the dice to Hercules, who took his turn and landed on 'Everyone takes a shot’. Everyone downed their shot, then John took his turn.

He landed on another 'Take a shot’ tile and did just that, feeling the alcohol mess with his system. He sighed contently and leaned into Alexander.

Lafayette smiled at the dorky drunk and took his turn, landing on 'Person on your right takes a shot’. he poured a shot and passed it to Hercules along with a kiss on the cheek.

Hercules smiled and downed the shot, feeling the same buzz that John was. “Dia, tá tú chomh álainn, leanbh…” (“God, you are so beautiful, baby …”) he muttered in Irish.

“Slow those flirty tones, son,” Hugh chuckled from the kitchen.

John snorted with laughter and took his turn, landing on a blank space.

Alexander, despite Herc’s warning, took a turn and landed right on a 'text’ tile. Like John, he ruled out Hercules immediately and ended up giving his phone to John, figuring it was only fair. “Go easy on me, won’t you?”

“Maybe.” He giggled and went through his phone. [Hey, Aaron. Thanks for helping me with club stuff, but don’t get too friendly. I have an amazing boyfriend, after all <3]

It didn’t take long for him to respond. [Hmm… Judging by the mainly correct grammar, I’m assuming this is that amazing boyfriend.]

John giggled. [You caught me : P]

Aaron responded. [Okay. No need to get jealous.]

[Just a warning : )]

“And I’m the jealous boyfriend?” Alexander asked with a chuckle.

John ignored him and cuddled into Alexander’s stomach. “My baby..” he hummed.  

[jons v. drunk] [lmao] [dw: ur not my tipe anywai ;)]

[Now it makes sense. John’s a very sensible person when sober.] [And you’ll be glad to know that you’re not my type in the slightest.]

[rude]

John whined and grabbed Alex’s wrist, taking his hand and putting it against his cheek. “I’m amazing, too..”

Alexander felt a pang of guilt. Ironically, he’d only been hanging out with Aaron so much because he wanted to make the art department as a surprise for John, but he couldn’t very well tell him that. “I’m sorry..” He kissed his hand. “I love you so much, more than anyone.”

John smiled and sat up a bit. “I love you too. I’m sorry for being stupid and jealous. Don’t feel guilty.”

“You’re not an idi-” He was cut off by John squishing his cheeks together and giggling sweetly. He was always just melting his heart. When he let go of his face, Alexander smiled and put a hand behind John’s head, pulling him down into a hug and holding him close. Nobody was going to hurt him anymore. “You know, I really prefer my guys with curly hair and freckles, anyways.”

John smiled and looked up at him, his chin resting on his chest. “I have curly hair and freckles!”

“You do!” Alexander smiled, as if it was some sort of epiphany.

Hercules tutted and leaned against Lafayette. “I’m glad we’re not soppy like that. We don’t have to be for you to know I love you.”

“Of course we don’t,” Lafayette claimed, though Hercules was just as soppy and silly.

Sarah giggled, looking over at them. They were all so sweet together, so in love, just like herself and Hugh.

Hercules looked over at her and her orange juice. “You’re not drinking?” Sarah wasn’t a heavy drinker by any means, but she hardly ever passed up a chance to drink with her family.

“No, not tonight.”

“Why not? Everything okay?”

“Well, we were going to wait a while longer to tell you, but you’re going to be an older brother.”


	37. Chapter 37

Herc was immediately shocked out of his drunken state, sitting straight up. “What?! When?!”

“In about six months.”

“Congratulations!” Lafayette smiled.

“I hope it’s a girl,” John piped up. “I need someone else to spoil.”

Alexander grinned. “Well, I hope it’s a boy. Someone to beat up Herc.”

Hercules laughed, happy tears in his eyes as he hugged Lafayette. “I’m going to be a brother!”

“I know, I’m so happy for you.” He smiled and kissed his forehead.

John smiled. “Congrats. I’m going to sleep.” He was out like a light, falling asleep in a second.

Alexander chuckled and played with his hair, letting him sleep.

“It is getting late,” Hugh pointed out. “Alex, would you two like to take the guest room tonight? It’d spare your backs compared to that couch.”

“Yes, please.” Alexander smiled and tried to get up, but to no avail. He was trapped beneath John’s weight.

“Need a hand?” Herc asked.

“Yes please.”

Hercules got up and lifted John almost effortlessly, taking him to the spare room behind the kitchen. “Think he’ll be alright?” He turned and caught Alexander staring. “What?”

“Nothing, I just think you’re going to be an amazing big brother.”

Hercules smiled widely and put John down in the bed, then hugged Alexander, almost as tightly as Sarah. “Thank you!” Compliments from Alexander were so rare from Hercules and they felt like everything.

“Of course.” He smiled. Once Hercules left the room, he laid down and pulled the blanket over himself and John, then kissed his cheek and fell asleep.

Hercules smiled widely as he sat back down with Lafayette and looked over to his parents. “Have you guys thought about names yet?”

“We were thinking Hugh Jr for a boy and Sarah Jr for a girl,” Hugh said jokingly.

“Modest.”

Lafayette chuckled. “Lot less of a headache than my many names. Feel free to take one, I, Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette, have more than enough.”

Sarah smiled. “Well, I do like Marie..” She began to get up for another orange juice, Hugh getting up to try and get it for her. “I have legs, dear.”

“Yeah, but now you have two pairs of them.” He sighed and shook his head as she left. “That woman. Far too independent.”

“Then there’s you,” Herc joked.

“If you knew how much hassle you were, you’d be doing the same thing.”

“It’s not like it was my choice to be breach.” He grinned at Laf. “… Maybe one day you’ll be Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier De Lafayette-Mulligan.”

“I’d be honored.” He kissed his cheek. “And we already have a daughter. No need to go through the surprise, not that it’s a bad thing.” He smiled as she came padding into the room, apparently having just woken up from a nap. The pair had made a second home for her there at Herc’s place, though they agreed that she would be better staying with Lafayette.

“Oh, Herky, you’ve got two kittens in your lap!” Sarah teased, though Hercules didn’t disagree.

“You should be getting to sleep, dear.”

Sarah tutted and finished her juice, then kissed her son, Lafayette, and Rosie’s forehead before heading upstairs.

Lafayette smiled and kissed Herc’s cheek. “I think I’ll head upstairs, too.”

Hercules watched with a wide smile as he headed upstairs with Rosie. He was going to be a big brother…. It was still fresh in his mind and he couldn’t have been happier. He got up and cleared the table, then glanced over as he heard the sink, finding Alexander getting a glass of water. “Hey.”

“Hey, sorry. I just wanted a drink.”

“Alright. Goodnight.” He turned to walk away.

“Herc?”

“Yeah?”

Alexander grinned. “Alex is a good name for a boy or girl.”

“Goodnight, Alexander,” he chuckled and went to bed, falling asleep with Lafayette.

John was the first to wake up the next morning, thanks to his hangover. He ran to the bathroom, careful not to wake Alexander, and threw up until his stomach decided to pity him and took a shower. Then, he dragged himself downstairs and drank at least a gallon of water and a can of Sprite, a reliable hangover cure for him, before starting on breakfast. He made everyone pancakes and coffee before sitting down with a plate and a mug, downing mug after mug and cutting up the pancakes and just staring at the plate, resting his head on the table. His mouth said yes, eat the damn pancakes, but his stomach said no. Do it and John dies. And he wasn’t quite ready to make that choice.

Alexander woke up next only because his source of heat escaped. He got up and went to the kitchen, smiling as he saw John laying there. “Hey..”

“My stomach hates me… Why did I have to make such a great breakfast?..” he pouted.

There was such adorable tragedy on John’s face, Alexander couldn’t help but smile and ran his fingers over his hair. “Aw, poor baby…” He leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Come on, you can do it.” He picked up John’s fork and grabbed a few pieces of syrup soaked pancakes. “Here you go.”

John happily ate the pieces off of his fork. “Thank you..”

“Anytime.” He smiled and kept feeding him.

John was more than capable of feeding himself, but he found it endearing. “I need a break.” He disappeared to the bathroom as Lafayette came downstairs.

“Good morning. Is John okay?”

“He’s just hungover. And about 90 percent coffee, I’d assume.”

“Sounds about right.” Lafayette chuckled and sat down with a plate and some coffee, Rosie trailing behind him.

John came back a few minutes later, looking a lot less dead. He sat back down in front of Alexander and opened his mouth, enjoying the attention.

Alexander chuckled and fed his childish boyfriend. “Do you remember texting Aaron last night?..”

“Yeah..” He ate the pancakes. “I’m sorry, I know it was stupid being jealous..”

“No, I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have been praising him like that. I feel like a jerk, especially when I was so stupid jealous about Madison and you didn’t do anything..”

John smiled. “You’re not a jerk. I get it.” He ate some more pancake. “You know what, I want to go on a date with you. A proper date.”

Alexander smiled brightly. “Yes! I would love that!”

Hercules groaned as he came downstairs. “Someone start digging my grave…”

“Stop being so dramatic,” Alexander said, rolling his eyes.

“Poor thing… You look awful.” Lafayette got up as Hercules sat down, getting him a mug of coffee, a glass of water, a plate of pancakes, and some painkillers. Even Rosie hopped onto his lap for support.

Hercules smiled a bit as Lafayette brought him everything and slowly sat up straight, wrapping his arm around his waist. “All I need is you..” He may have felt like crap, but he wasn’t about to treat Lafayette any worse over it.

John got up and pushed a plate of pancakes in front of Alexander. “Here, try to eat something..”

Alexander nodded and slowly began eating his pancakes, getting through them. He got through one and a half before giving John the rest of his second one. “I’m going to go take a shower.” He got up and went upstairs to Herc’s bathroom, taking a shower.

While he was gone, John turned to Hercules. “Think I can borrow a dress?”

“No problem.” He turned to Lafayette. “I’d take you on a date if I didn’t have to work.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He kissed his cheek and got up. “You rest and eat your pancakes. I’ll help John pick something.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” He went through the door and to the dress rack with John, looking through the dresses with him. “What about this?” He picked out a simple floral dress. “It’s kind of like the one you wore yesterday.”

“Yeah.. But it’s kind of girly for me. Anything else?”

“Hmm… what about this?” He picked out a solid blue strapless dress with white trim and a white ribbon around the waist. “Better?”

“Yeah, better.” He smiled and took it, going to the changing room and changing into it. After, he went back out to Lafayette. “Good?”

“You look perfect!” He gave him a thumbs up and went with him back to the kitchen.

As Alexander let himself soak under the shower, he thought about what was to come with a smile. He was going on his first real date with John and was anxious about it going well. He sighed happily and turned off the water, getting out and drying himself off when he heard yelling.

“Alex! Out! Urgent!”

He scrambled out, the towel around his waist, and watched as Sarah and Hugh went inside. Morning sickness. Right. He chuckled for a second before realizing that his clothes were still in there.

Hugh opened the door and gave Alexander his clothes. “Sorry…”

“No problem.” He smiled and took a deep breath as the door closed. Okay…

Hercules smiled at the dress. “Hey, that’s not bad. Simple.”

“Excusemecomingthroughpardonmesorry-” Alexander said as he ran past them to the spare room.

Hercules blinked a few times. “That’s a lot more of Alex than I ever wanted to see.”

Lafayette and John ignored it. “Can I borrow some shoes and maybe a jacket?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“And your car?”

Lafayette rolled his eyes. “Alright, sure.” He gave him his car key. “If you crash it, I’ll kill you.”

“I can drives just fine, thank you. It’s not my fault I don’t have a car.” He took the key from him and put it on his own key ring.

Alexander sighed as he walked out of the room. “Sorry about.. thhaaa….” He trailed off as he saw John in the dress. He and Lafayette had chosen well. Not only did the color look great on him, but the fit of the dress hugged his hips beautifully.

John blushed at the reaction. “Oh, come on… You’re exaggerating. I don’t look that great.. ” He smiled shyly and grabbed Alexander’s hand, pulling him out to Lafayette’s car and getting in the driver’s seat and letting Alexander get in the passenger’s seat. “Did you want to go home and change first?”

Alexander was completely lost, still staring at John in awe. In his mind, he wanted to say ‘damn, you look good’ or 'I love you’ but the words got lost in a fumble. “Damn you.” After a second, he registered what he’d said. “Wait, no.. I just… God.. You look good. How am I dating you?” He chuckled. “I’m so going to have to change into something nicer because… damn…”

John smiled and began driving. “I guess I’ll wear dresses for you more often, then. I’m glad you like it.” He arrived at the house and got out with Alexander, going up to Laf’s room.

Alexander hopped out of the car and went upstairs to his room, pulling out his clothes and looking through them. It would have been so much easier if Lafayette was there to help… He ended up choosing a green flannel and a pair of jeans. When he went back downstairs, John was there wearing a pair of Lafayette’s boots and sitting across from George.

“I know you’re excited that Sarah’s having a baby.” It was no secret that John loved kids. “Oh, Alexander, come here.” George got up and went to Alexander, fixing his popped collar.

“Gee, thanks,” he grumbled, embarrassed.

John, on the other hand, smiled. George was a good dad and he admired that. “You look great. Come on.” He grabbed his hand once George was done and took him out to the car, driving. “So, I was thinking that we could go to the zoo, then get some pizza?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

“Cool. I apologize in advance for being a dork around the animals.”

Alexander smiled. “Don’t, it’s fine.” When they got to the zoo, he jumped out of the car and ran over, opening the door for John before he could. “Ready?”

“Yes, I am.” He smiled and got out, holding his hand as they walked towards the entrance.


	38. Chapter 38

When they got in, he gave Alexander the map. “I’ll let you choose.”

Alexander nodded and carefully scanned the map, wondering where to go. Maybe it was best to just wander and look at all the enclosures- Wait. There was a list of events on the side. There was a baby animal feeding not too far. Perfect! He took John’s hand and led him there. When they got there, he got two bags of food and went in with him, letting him see the cute, small animals roaming around.

John smiled widely and gladly took his bag. He knelt down, careful to pull the skirt out from under his knees, and poured some food into his hands, holding it out towards the baby animals.

Most of the animals came to him and ate from his hands, making him smile brightly. It was mainly smaller animals, capybaras, pangolins, and anteaters.

John was in his element, surrounded by small animals. Alexander gave him the remainder of his food so he could get the attention of even more animals, though he hardly needed any help in that area. Even as he ran out of food, they came up to him and nuzzled his hand.

It took almost all of John’s willpower to eventually get up and walk away. But he couldn’t spend all day petting the animals, unfortunately, and he’d already spent a whole hour there. He got up and went to Alexander, who pulled him into a kiss as soon as he got close enough. It caught him by surprise, but he wasn’t complaining. He smiled against his lips and pulled away after a few seconds.

“You pick next, Jackie.”

John smiled at the nickname and took the map from him, though he didn’t look at it. He already knew where he wanted to go and was surprised that Alexander didn’t see it. He opened the door to the indoor exhibit and pulled Alexander inside.

“John, where are you taking..” He trailed off as he saw where they were. It was like a jungle inside with trees everywhere and all around them were birds of all sorts of color and species, a huge mixture of flocks.

“What do you think?”

“This is..” He turned around and practically threw himself into John’s arms, hugging him tightly and kissing him messily, whining as he did. He felt ridiculous for getting so emotional, but that was just what birds meant to him. If there were any animal to represent his feelings, it would definitely be birds. The experience brought him overwhelming happiness.

John smiled and hugged and kissed back. “This is why I wanted to come in the first place. I knew you’d like this.”

“I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you,” he repeated over and over, finally calming back down. John truly was a romantic. Now, he needed to get that art program in the school, he had to do something for him. After another minute, he was finally able to let John go and only because he spotted a macaw perched nearby, eyeing the pair curiously.

He slowly approached it and waved slowly, trying his best not to scare it. “H-Hello…”

“Heeerrroooo” the bird squawked in response before spreading its wings and flapping away. Clearly, the birds were used to human interaction. Still, Alexander couldn’t help but turn to John and make an awful joke.

“I have a way with birds.”

John just laughed and walked with him deeper into the enclosure, finding a curly haired young girl speaking in the center of the building, a bird perched on he gloved arm. It seemed like she was just starting when they got there. John smiled and wrapped his arms around Alexander, wrapping his arms around him from behind.

Alexander leaned into John as he listened to the girl speak.

“I’m Theodosia and this here is Peep. She is a spotted parakeet, one of the friendliest species of birds. She knows all kinds of phrases like-”

“Excuse me, but would you two cut that out!” a mother shouted out over at John and Alexander.

“… Stop what?” Alexander asked.

“You know what. There are children here!”

It took another second, but Alexander understood what she meant and held John’s arms tighter when he did. “We’re not doing anything..”

“Nobody wants your kind here, especially not his,” she spat, pointing at John.

Alexander glared at her. “So, what your saying is we shouldn’t do this?” He turned around and pulled John into a kiss, feeling him relax under his touch.

John was more distressed by the negative attention, far too accustomed to it, and associating it with negative consequences, but Alexander made him feel a lot better about it.

Alexander only pulled away when security pulled the lady away and out of the enclosure, smiling at John. “Don’t listen to her.. We’re okay.”

John nodded and smiled softly.

The rest of the crowd dispersed, leaving just the two of them and Theodosia.

John walked up to her with Alexander and smiled. “Hey.. Sorry about making you lose your crowd.. You really seem to enjoy what you do. Would you mind telling us a bit more about Peep?”

“You don’t need to apologize. And I can do you one better.” She smiled at Alexander. “Want to hold her?”

“Wait, really?” he asked excitedly.

“Yeah, of course. Hold out your arm. Her claws aren’t sharp.”

Alexander listened and Peep was quick to flutter over. “… Oh my god..” he whispered.

Theodosia giggled and turned to John. “You’re John Laurens, right? The artist?”

“Yeah, he’s amazing,” Alexander responded for him.

“You’re so talented! I’m so jealous of what you can do. I draw Peep sometimes, but it isn’t nearly as good.”

John smiled. “Thank you. I’m sure your art is great. Um… Does everyone know I do those paintings?..” After all, it was kind of illegal.

“Oh, no, my boyfriend’s in your year. Mark Prevost?”

“Oh, right. Captain of the soccer team.”

“That’s him..” she responded a bit dryly, nothing like the energy she used when describing Peep.

John nodded and softly pet Peep, feeling her soft feathers under his fingers.

She nestled her side against John’s fingers. “Pretty! Pretty!” she sang, her voice more lyrical than the macaw.

Theodosia smiled. “Peep, can you say John?”

“Pretty! Pretty bird!”

“Same thing,” Alexander said as he winked at John, making him roll his eyes playfully.

“Pretty! Pretty John!” She hopped up and flew towards Theodosia’s arm… then turned around and landed on John’s head. “Pretty! Pretty!”

John yelped a bit in surprise and blushed in embarrassment. “As great as I think she is, can you get her out of my hair? Literally?”

Theodosia nodded and reached up, trying to get Peep out of John’s hair. Though, instead of just hopping in her hand, she fluttered over into Theodosia’s hair and landed there.

Alexander smiled. “I can’t blame her. I’d want to nuzzle up in your hair, too,” he told John as he pulled out his phone. “Hey, mind if I take a picture of Peep?”

“Not at all.” She smiled.

He snapped the picture and sent it to Aaron subtly with a quick text. [luk up theodoshia in furst yr. marc prevost’s gf. shes arty]

[Will do. Give me a minute.]

“You know, if you guys already haven’t, you guys should head over to the aquarium. There’s all sorts of fish and sharks and turtles.”

Alexander smiled widely. “Thank you.” He grabbed John’s hand and pulled him there, immediately walking to the turtle tank with him.

John smiled and stood right at the glass, watching the turtles swim by. “Aren’t they amazing?..” he asked quietly.

Alexander nodded. The turtles were large and majestic as they swam, but they weren’t his focus. His focus was the boy watching them. To Alexander, he was the true artwork. The freckles that decorated his skin, the way the dress hugged his curves, the happiness written all over his face, he would give anything to keep him that way. To say Alexander was smitten was a gross understatement.

John stayed against the glass until he had the image etched into his memory, then pulled away and looked at Alexander. “This is amazing..” He held his hand out. “Are you ready to go? I’m starting to get kind of hungry.”

Alexander nodded with a smile and took his hand, walking out with him and opening the car door for him when they got there. He got in the other side and smiled as John drove off.

Normally, Jay was the man to go to for looking someone up, but after the events of the day, Aaron messaged Thomas instead. [I need you to get Mark Prevost’s girlfriend’s number for our society. Her name is Theodosia. Spelling might be off. I heard about her from Alexander. Thank you.]

[On it xx] [ooh, shes a cutie! I’ll see what I can do ; ) xx] Typical Jefferson. Malicious intent or not, he was a flirt. [Mark’s being a dick. I can’t get Theo’s number out of him. I’m guessing my rep is still wrecked right now? xx] [Here’s Mark’s number tho - xxx xxx xxxx - xx]

Aaron sighed. “What did he do now?..” [Thank you. I’ll try talking to him myself.] He typed in Mark’s number and started texting him. [Mark Prevost? This is Aaron Burr. I asked Thomas Jefferson to get your girlfriend, Theodosia’s, number from you, but he said you were unwilling to give it up. I understand and I was hoping that you would give her number straight to me instead.] [Alexander Hamilton and I are trying to start a society run by the younger students in order to try to get an art program in our school and Hamilton told me about how Theodosia enjoyed to draw. I am hoping that she would be interested in joining.]

Mark’s response came after a few minutes. [wat? no. fuck off.] [theos MY gal. hit on someone single, ass.]

Aaron raised his eyebrows in surprise at the text. [You seem to have misunderstood my text. All I want is to work with Theodosia and other students to get an art program formed in the school. Nothing more.]

[read my last texts again, dumbass]

Aaron tutted. This wasn’t going to end well… Maybe this wasn’t worth-

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Hello! Sorry if this is the wrong person…! There’s lots of Aarons and Burrs on facebook…] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Ok um- so, Mark text me a strange message about you?] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: He’s awful for starting arguments… I’m sorry </3 But you seem to know me, yes? (^̮^)]

Aaron smiled as Theodosia messaged him on Facebook. She was the polar opposite of Mark, far more pleasant and her texts were littered with sweet emoticons. [Aaron: No, this is the right person.] [Aaron: Thank you for taking the time to contact me.] [Aaron: My peer, Alexander Hamilton, and I are trying to start a society dedicated to getting an art program in the school. He has brought you to my attention because he says you are an artist. We would greatly appreciate it if you could help us.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Wait, really??] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: OH MY GOSH!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Woaaah! Yes! I want to help! That’s the best!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I’ll ask some of the girls from my year to help ｡◕‿◕｡] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: This is really exciting! Ahaaa~!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: When can we meet up? (˚▽˚)] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Thank you, sir!]

[Aaron: No need to call me sir. Just Aaron is alright.] [Aaron: And, if you are available, I’ve seen you around at lunch. You, Alexander Hamilton, and me] [Aaron: If not, I’m available to speak most days after school besides Wednesday and I can ask Alexander when he’s available.] [Aaron: And, by the way, he’s the one who you should be thanking. This was his idea, meant to be a surprise for his boyfriend, John Laurens.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Awe! Cute!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Dw! My lips are sealed from John! I just met those two today, actually ^_^ They’re a cute pair!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Monday lunch it is! I’ll even mark it up in my diary] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Just gotta get the all clear from Mark then we’re set to go!]

All clear from Mark? That was a bit odd.

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Mark doesn’t like the idea very much…] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: We could meet up in the library? Same time, just… Then i can claim to be studying instead of hanging out (^^)] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: That sounds bad. Just trust me on this, Kay? : )]

[Aaron: That sounds like a plan. The library allows people to eat their lunch in there, after all.] [Aaron: And I trust you. I just hope that Mark doesn’t try anything too harmful. He seemed very upset just at me trying to get you into the club.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: He won’t, he’ll be with first year tryouts anyway] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I’m excited for this! It seems like a really nice cause!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: oops! I gotta go! Break’s over! : ( But I’m looking forward to meeting you!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: In the meantime, take a peep at Peep!] She attached a picture of the parakeet to the message then hit send.

Aaron smiled at the attachment. Theodosia seemed like a cheerful, sweet girl. Meeting her would be a pleasure. [Aaron: She’s adorable. She looks like she’s fun to work with.] [Aaron: I’ll let you get back to it, then. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow during lunch, as well.] [Aaron: Tell Peep I said hello.]

Theodosia followed up on that quickly. She sent him a quick video. “Okay, Peep. Aaron says hello!”

“Hello! Hello! Peep!”

She giggled and ended the video.

Aaron smiled, feeling his heart swell, and messaged Alexander. [Theodosia is on board for our plan. She’ll talk to us Monday sat lunch assuming that Mark allows her to.] Wait.. Heart swell? This wasn’t going to end well for him.

[ok gr8!] [is mark liek… her bodygard or sumthin?]

[I don’t know. Isn’t that just how some boyfriends are?] Not that Aaron would know.

Alexander didn’t respond to the message, his attention on John as they walked into the pizza place and were seated. He was sure John would live on pizza if he had the choice. He found himself looking at the calorie counts of the food rather than the actual food itself, but tried his best to push away that habit, distracting himself with John. “I’m having fun today.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” He smiled and kissed his cheek, then glanced at his closed menu. “Can you try to eat something, please?..”

Alexander sighed and nodded. “I just.. What if I get fat?..” He seemed to think it was genuinely plausible that it would happen anytime soon.

John frowned a bit. It was ridiculous, though not in a laughable sense. “Baby.. Is that what this is about?..” He cupped his cheek gently. “You have a lot of people who love you too much to ever let you get to an unhealthy weight. But the problem right now is that you’re underweight..”

Alexander sighed and leaned into his touch. He appreciated the support, but the problem was going to be getting it to sink in.. “I read somewhere that when you don’t eat for a long time, you gain weight really easily because your body doesn’t trust you to keep eating..”

John sighed. “I’m not going to make you eat a lot. I just want you to try, okay?..”

Alexander nodded hesitantly.

“You know.. I used to have trouble eating, too.. After my mom.. When we first moved here, I couldn’t get myself to eat enough.. Laf noticed that I got really weak really fast and helped me get better.. It was how we first became friends..” He smiled a bit.

“Laf has a talent for making things better..” He smiled a bit and kissed John’s hand, feeling better.

John let his hand fall and kissed his cheek, then smiled as the waiter came and took their order. He ordered some pepperoni pizza and a soda for the both of them.

When it got there, Alexander gulped and picked up his slice, taking a small bite. “… Lee said that I’d balloon up if I ate too much…”

John frowned. From what he knew, Lee was only in Alexander’s life for a short period, but he seemed to have left a deep mark. “Well, Lee is an idiot and you shouldn’t take some advice from idiots.”

“Okay..” He took another small bite. “.. Me and Aaron are working on a project for the freshman… A student dance fundraiser… That’s why I keep talking to him… We’re going to ask Theodosia to help us…”

John smiled. “That sounds like fun. Maybe I can help with decorations or something.”

“Oh.. Er…” This was awkward. “We were hoping to keep it to just underclassmen… Since it affects them more..” John wanted to be an art teacher. This could be great for him in the future.

“Okay..” John nodded, though a bit disappointed. He couldn’t complain about Alexander doing his own thing. “Maybe Madison has some new work for me.” [Hey, Madison. Do you have any projects or galleries to let me know about? Just thought I’d ask.] “And I do have some commission pieces I can work on.”

Just his name gave Alexander chills. But he swallowed his jealousy just as John had and ate. He even managed to eat a slice and a half all on his own.

John smiled when he saw. “Wow, you’re doing great! I’m proud of you.” He kissed his cheek.

Alexander smiled at the praise and turned, kissing John softly. “Thanks..”

He returned the kiss with a smile. “No problem. Why don’t we go watch a movie at my apartment?”

“That sounds nice..”

John called the waiter over for the check and paid for it, ignoring Alexander’s protests, then got up to leave with him. As they walked out, their waiter came up to John and tapped his shoulder.

“Excuse me, sir, you forgot something.”

He turned around. “What?”

“My number.” He winked and handed John a piece of paper.

Alexander glared and opened his mouth to snap, but was stopped as he felt John pulling him towards the exit. Wasn’t he going to say anything?..

John balled up the paper and threw it in the trash as they walked.

Alexander glanced behind them and felt himself let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding as he saw the waiter’s rejected expression. He was being stupid… John wouldn’t do anything to hurt him.


	39. Chapter 39

As they got back in the car, John responded to James’s texts.

[I was actually gonna contact YOU soon enough :P] [Spring Fest. It’s a celebration uptown; some upper class event for people in money wanting art. There’s also prospective college and university recruiters. We’d have to book a hotel for a night or two, but we could make a killing there. In?]

[Woah, that sounds great! Send me the dates and I can get to working asap! Is there a theme or can I just paint whatever?] He smiled at the idea. This was huge.

“Something good?” Alexander asked.

“Yeah, a big one. Seems like It’s going to be around Spring Break.”

[Not for like a month yet. There’s a super-natural theme I think? So… ghosts and stuff. Idk. You probably know more than me :P I’ll send you links and stuff later. It’s in Carolina.]

[I’ll start something soon, then.] [Btw, do you know if its going to be in North or South Carolina?]

[South. I’m thinking of dragging Dolly along :P Been a while since we had a trip together, so… mind if we book a couple of days? Just so we get to hang out as well as work.]

John’s smile wavered. He didn’t mind going back to his home state, but it had been so long… [I wouldn’t mind at all as long as you’re all right with me taking Alexander with me. I promise he wouldn’t do anything too drastic again.]

“Are you okay?..”

“Yeah.. It’s just.. It’s going to be in South Carolina… I haven’t been there since we moved up here… Not since my mom’s funeral..”

[If you’re sure. I’ll get onto booking us into a hotel now then. Two rooms is enough, right? You and Alex, then me and Doll. Pay me back when we’re rich and famous, kay?] He didn’t seem to be too keen on the idea, but he wasn’t going to not let him.

“Oh..” He held his hand. “Well.. Maybe we can visit her… We can bring flowers and you can introduce me… And you can take me to your old hangouts and we can make some great memories..”

[Yeah, that sounds great. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can. No need to wait until we’re rich and famous. : P] He smiled at the thought of being back in his home with Alexander. “That sounds great.” He kissed his cheek and finally pulled off, heading to his apartment.

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Hey Franky! Can I get a lift home? Mark doesn’t want to pick me up right now.] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Whoops! D : Sorry! Wrong person! My bad (^^)]

Aaron tutted. Every time she mentioned Mark, it seemed to be worse and worse. And.. he looked outside… It was about to rain. He frowned and responded. [Aaron: Its no problem.] [Aaron: You know, if you need a ride, I wouldn’t mind picking you up. The weather looks like its about to be pretty bad, after all. I’m not currently doing anything either, so it wouldn’t be any trouble.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Really?] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Oh my gosh, you’re a saint. Thank you!! Yes please!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Thank you, thank you, thank you! What kind of car do you have?]

[Aaron: Black Chevy, it’s kind of old. You’ll know it when you see it. I’ll be there in a minute.] He got in his car and drove to the zoo, getting there just as the rain began falling. He got out and grabbed his umbrella, going and finding Theodosia quickly. “Hi, I’m Aaron.”

She smiled and stood beside him, under the rain..? “Hi, thank you so much.” She seemed a bit surprised as he held the umbrella over the both of them and kept a respectable distance, leading her to the car and even opening the door for her. She thanked him over and over and smiled as he began driving, giving him directions to her house. When they got there, she smiled and pulled out her purse. “Oh, you must think I’m some kind of freeloader. Here, let me get you some gas money..”

Aaron waved her off. “No need. It would’ve been awful of me to just leave you out in this rain.”

She sighed. “Well, at least let me find someway to repay you..” She thought for a minute. “We have cupcakes?..” Aaron was already being so generous. Mark no doubt would have had her pay for the ride and criticized the fact that she didn’t have her license, but Aaron wasn’t… and she just had to find someway to thank him for that.

“You’re already helping with the art program. If you’re so insistent, maybe I can see some of your art, if that’s okay with you.”

Theodosia was a bit hesitant. Asking a guy inside?.. Mark wouldn’t like that. But.. “Okay. But I still get to give you cupcakes.” She smiled and looked out at the rain. “Well… I’d better get ready to run.” She began opening the door.

“No, hold on.” Aaron turned off the car and got out with his umbrella, then went around and opened the door for Theodosia, letting her stand under the umbrella.

She smiled and accepted his chivalrous offer, not knowing that he was able to keep his respectful distance because he was getting half soaked. It was easier to keep dry at the zoo, but now the rain was really pouring down. She walked to the door and opened it, already hearing the yapping of her dog through the door. She chuckled and unlocked the door, a bouncy Pomeranian immediately coming out and yapping at Aaron’s feet. “I am so sorry.. She’s a rescue.” She scooped her up and carried her in, though it didn’t stop her mad barking.

“Don’t worry about it. She’s cute.” He smiled and shut his umbrella before stepping inside and looking around. “You have a lovely home.”

“Thank you. The den is this way.” She lead him to another room, clearly where she did most of her art, and stood in front of an easel with a sheepish expression. “Just don’t judge me too hard.. I’m no John Laurens..”

Aaron smiled as she revealed the painting. She was right. She was no John Laurens. She was Theodosia. Hers weren’t photorealistic like his, but colorful and vibrant, a lot of splash patterns and swirls of color decorating the canvas and coming together as a hummingbird drinking from a beautiful flower.

“I’m going to go get those cupcakes..” She escaped the room, expecting criticism. When she came back, she frowned as she saw that Aaron had been effectively soaked. “Oh, you got wet… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have used your umbrella, it’s yours..”

“Oh, please don’t worry about that. I don’t mind in the slightest. What kind of guy would I be if I let a lady such as yourself get soaked?”

She was caught off guard by the response and had no idea how to answer, pushing the box into her arms. “So.. What do you think about the painting?.. I know the head should be smaller and the style is kind of childish and there’s still sketch marks and the paint hasn’t blended together well..”

He shook his head. “I think it’s amazing. And I sent a picture to Alexander, sorry for not asking, and he and John seem to agree.”

[Hey, Aaron. This is John. Tell Theodosia that her work is gorgeous! < 3]

[ill say]

Theodosia froze at the compliments. They all seemed so genuine and pure and… and even the great John Laurens liked it. She couldn’t help but hiccup as she began crying. “I’m sorry, I’m being silly… I just.. I don’t get compliments like that on my work.”

Aaron’s eyes went wide with surprise. A pretty girl was crying. He could only hope he knew what he was supposed to do. He grabbed his handkerchief and gave it to her. “Hey.. All I did was tell the truth. Your artwork deserves compliments. Happy tears or not, a girl as pretty as you shouldn’t be crying..”

Theodosia took the handkerchief and swiftly regretted it. The soft blue fabric felt so nice against her cheek and it smelled like Aaron’s nice, subtle cologne. She hated to admit it, but his chivalry was sending her heart into a confused fluster. But she couldn’t like him. She was with Mark and she was no cheat. Still… Aaron treated her far better than Mark ever bothered to. Once she calmed down, she gave back the handkerchief. “Thank you..”

“No problem.” He smiled.

The pair spent the next hour or so looking through Theodosia’s sketches and Aaron explained to her everything she needed to know about the art program. She seemed more than excited and was more than helpful, volunteering her friends as a live band. From what Aaron heard, they were good. They only had to stop when the dog began yipping in the main hall again.

“Sorry.. I have to go get her…” She got up and left. When she did, she heard that there was knocking at the door and answered it. “… Mark… I didn’t think you’d get out of practice for a while.”

He ignored the statement and pressed his lips against hers roughly, not giving her much room to reject it. “Come on, baby. Let’s head up to your room and-”

“I have a guest,” she rushed out. “Aaron Burr, he wanted to talk about an art program at school and-”

“Where is he?”

“In the den..”

“Food.”

“Yes sir..” She made her way to the kitchen and Mark to the den, glaring daggers at Aaron. “I thought I told you to fuck off.”

“And I told you that all I wanted was to speak to her about the school art program. If you’d care about her, you’d let her speak to me.”

Mark gave him a dangerous look, like he’d already had his death and funeral planned in his head. “Fuck you, I know why you’re here. Go stick your dick in some other whore.”

Aaron glared at him, disgusted. Hearing him speak that way about Theodosia, about anyone, was disgusting. He opened his mouth to respond, but stopped as she walked back in. It would’ve been rude to say such things around her.

“Mom left you some food in the fridge..” She gave him a plate of sandwiches.

“Thanks, babe.” He wrapped an arm roughly around her waist. “Have you eaten yet?”

“I can’t eat those..”

“Why not?”

“I’m still a vegetarian, Mark-”

He cleared his throat.

“.. Babe..”

“Good girl.” He glared back at Aaron. “And I don’t want to see him around here again. Unless you want me to share those-”

“No! No.. I’ll just show him out..”

As much as it pained Aaron to do so, it seemed that he had no choice but to comply. He let Theodosia lead him to the door and made sure Mark wasn’t close enough to hear before speaking. “If you ever feel unsafe and can get out of here, I want you to call me.”

“It’s not that big of a deal..” she muttered as she gave him the remaining cupcakes. “Take them.. Just a thank you for being so nice today..”

“Theo,” Mark said sternly. “Give him his shit and tell him to leave.”

She nodded and shut the door, giving Aaron a forced smile.

Aaron sighed and walked back to his car. He had to do something… Once again, he texted Jefferson. [Mark Prevost abuses his girlfriend and blackmails her into staying with him. Try to see if you can get this blackmail material out of him first. If you can do this for me, I owe you one.]

[Sure? xx] [That was sudden :p I’m guessing you had more success than me in getting in touch with her then xx] [I’ll see if I can talk to her friends or something. They probably know more than we do, right? xx] [How’d you find this out?? xx]

[She accidentally texted me that she needed a ride home from work and I offered. She wanted to repay me for the ride, so she heard what I had to say about the art program and she agreed to join. Then Mark burst in and started speaking to her with very crude language and grabbing her roughly. He even yelled at me too and she tried to defend me, then he said she should go with me and he would show the whole school.. something? I don’t know what. That’s what I’m afraid of.] [I really appreciate your help.]

[Jeez. Prevost sounds like a prick xx] [..I feel like I owe John more of an apology. Holy fuck xx] Of course, he never put his hands on John. Partly because of fear, mainly because he had a sense of decency. [Don’t sweat it :p Can’t exactly promise anything, but I’ll try something xx]

[Thank you.] Aaron sighed and drove home.

Alexander grinned as he followed John into his apartment. “/Not/ watch the movie, huh?..”

John shrugged. “I mean, it may be a little hard to focus with someone as cute as you there.” He led him to his room and gave him his laptop, signing into Netflix. “You can choose a movie. I’m going to change into some sweats. Feel free to do the same.” He grabbed a tank top and sweat pants and changed in the bathroom, then went back to his room.

By the time he got there, Alexander had already changed as well, wearing some shorts and a hoodie with paw prints. As much as John used to hide his arms, he didn’t mind showing them with Alexander around, he had a huge collection.

John smiled and cuddled with him, kissing the top of his head and watching ‘Inside Out’ with him. “You know, this hoodie has cat ears.”

Alexander reached up and felt the hood, blushing when he felt the ears. “I just liked the paws…”

John smiled. “They look cute on you.” He leaned down and kissed him softly, pulling away and turning to the laptop as the movie finished loading.

Alexander shifted his face back towards his own and smiled. “I wasn’t done.” He leaned up and kissed him. He pulled away once he was satisfied, John blushing darkly, and watched the movie, snuggling into him. As much as he adored John in the dress, there was just something so welcoming and cuddly about him in more comfortable clothes. He smiled and turned towards him as soon as the movie was over, pressing his lips to his in a surprise kiss.

John smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around his neck, holding him close.

Alexander decided to try something new and sucked John’s lower lip gently, running his tongue over the soft texture.

John couldn’t stop a content moan from escaping him, blushing darkly… then blushing even more as Alexander began laughing.

“I’m sorry.. I just didn’t expect that..” He kept giggling lightly and cupped John’s cheek. “I’m sorry.. I love you.”

John swatted his hand away a bit, though he didn’t seem too upset by it. In fact, he began giggling a few seconds after. “You are such a jerk, Alex.”

Alexander finally let the last of his giggles out and kissed John’s forehead. “I’m sorry.. I really do love you a lot.. Like I can’t even put it into words and you’ve seen how much I write.” He loved him as well as their relationship. There was never a consequence for just being silly because they knew that it meant nothing, that it was just nerves or that they were just kids anyways. He kissed his cheek again. “Hey, I want to do something for you. Get on your stomach and take your shirt off.” He realized how that sounded and corrected himself before John could respond. “Not like that. I want to give you one of those back massage thingies.”

John chuckled and trusted him, doing as he said. “Okay, but if I moan and you laugh again, I’m not kissing you for a week.”

“Noted.” Alexander smiled and moved so he was sitting at the tops of John’s thighs. “If I cross any boundaries, feel free to 'red’ me, okay?..”

“Don’t worry. I will.” He nodded.

He began by moving his hands over John’s shoulders, digging his thumbs into the backs of John’s shoulder blades in calming circles whilst his fingers used the space between his neck and shoulders for leverage.

John sighed and felt himself melt into the couch. “You’re such an amazing boyfriend, I love you so much.”

Alexander smiled. “I love you too, John Laurens. You treated me to such an amazing day, you’re the amazing boyfriend.”

John smiled. “This feels amazing.” He felt himself let out a moan as Alexander massaged a knot out of his muscles. “You’d better not laugh again..”

“Shut up,” Alexander chuckled, pressing his fingers firmly into his John’s back and dragging the heels of his palms. “You know.. There’s a lot of trust here..” he began, his tone serious.

John turned a bit, wondering what he meant, and saw a huge grin on Alexander’s face.

“I’m in prime tickle position.”


	40. Chapter 40

“You wouldn’t. Not if you value your life.”

“I guess I have a death wish, then.” Alexander smiled and began to mercilessly tickle John’s sides and hips, laughing as he listened to him giggle.

John burst into laughter and squirmed, trying to get free of Alexander’s relentless attack. Once he grabbed his wrists, he flipped them so he had Alexander pinned down. “You asked for it. I’m going to kill you with kisses.” He leaned down and began kissing every inch of his face, except for his lips.

“John,” Alexander whined between laughs. “At least kiss my lips!”

John didn’t listen, but eventually slowed down and smiled down at him.

Alexander admired John’s face for a second before asking, “Can we get something to eat?”

John’s smile grew wider and he got up. “Yeah, of course we can.” This was great! It had always been John asking to get food, Alexander asking was a great sign. “I’ll cook for you. I’m sure you’re sick of pizza.” He kissed his cheek an jumped up, going to the kitchen. He didn’t have much, but there was enough for spaghetti.

As he began, Alexander wrapped his arms around his waist. “… Teach me?..” He wasn’t much of a cook, but he figured that if he wanted to get better at eating, it wouldn’t hurt. And it seemed like something fun to do with John.

“Yeah, of course.” He switched places with him and boiled the pasta, then drained it and added the sauce. “Simple enough, right?”

Alexander nodded. “Yeah.” He turned and pecked John’s lips.

He smiled. “Sorry we can’t have meatballs with it, I really have to go grocery shopping.”

“It’s no problem. I like this. We’re almost like a married couple…”

John blushed and nodded. “We are, aren’t we?” He kissed his cheek. “I used to cook all the time with my mom. It’ll be nice to do it more often with someone else..”

Alexander nodded and helped John get the food onto two plates. He felt honored to be compared to John’s mother, seeing how highly he held her. He sat down on the couch with John and watched as he put on a movie.

“Can you bring me a soda from the fridge?”

“No problem.” He kissed John’s cheek and got up, going to the kitchen. He grabbed a Dr Pepper form the fridge… Then grinned wickedly. How could he resist? He pressed his hands against the wall of the fridge and waited until they went numb from the cold, then went back to John, giving him his soda and sitting beside him. “Hey, Johnny, guess what,” he said in a sing song voice before launching himself towards John, aiming his hands at his sides.

John was faster than that. He noticed something was off the second Alexander came back and of course noticed his bright red palms. He grabbed his wrists as he pounced and flipped them so he was hovering over Alexander, his hands pinned above his head. “Nice try.” He leaned down with a sly grin, brushing his lips against Alexander’s before sitting up and tickling him, revenge from when he did the same earlier.

This time, it was Alexander who squirmed and laughed as he was tickled. “Stop! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” he laughed out.

John decided to take mercy on him and give him the kiss that he so rudely stole from him a minute ago.

“Jerk,” Alexander mumbled as John pulled away.

“You started it.” He pecked his lips. “Come on, let’s just eat.” He sat up and began eating.

Alexander did the same, attempting to shovel down his food and get it over with, but giving up after a few seconds. He sighed and put his plate down. “I just need a break..”

John nodded and put down his empty plate, having an idea as Alexander picked his plate back up. He pulled Alexander into his lap and held him, kissing his cheek and giving him an occasional sip of his soda.

Alexander smiled and leaned into him, eating almost absentmindedly as he was showered with John’s affections and treated to his soda. He didn’t even realize how much he’d eaten until he heard his fork clink against the bottom of the plate. He looked back at John and gave him a shy smile. “Thank you…”

“Anytime.” He kissed his cheek and moved him, getting up and putting their plates in the sink before going to bed with Alexander and going to sleep.

It was after than longer than Aaron had expected, but he eventually got messaged by Theodosia and her friends. It didn’t seem that Thomas was responsible for it, though. He wasn’t even in the Facebook group chat named ‘Theo’s art something’. It was instead just Theodosia and two other girls texting like it was a race.

[Dosi: Did you have to name this group that?? (TT)]

[Fraaanky: yes] [Fraaanky: it was v necc]

[Martii: What’s this about??xx]

[Dosi: Do you guys know Aaron Burr? ^_^] [Dosi: I added him to the chat anyway]

[Aaron: Hi, Theodosia.] [Aaron: Hi, girls.] [Aaron: I’ll go ahead and explain what’s going on since I’m one of the two in charge of it.] [Aaron: Another senior, Alexander Hamilton, and I are trying to get an art program into the school. In order to do that, we had the idea of holding a dance for all of the lower years, sort of like a prom. Theodosia showed me a video of you two playing music and I’d be honored if you two and some of the kids from the band played music there.]

[Fraaanky: are you a teacher or something?]

[Aaron: No, I just use proper grammar, unlike most others. And I am a senior, but I’m not one of Mark’s friends.]

[Dosi: Hush] [Dosi: This is a really cool opportunity!]

[Martii: You’re in senior year, right?xx] [Martii: Are you one of Mark’s friends?xx]

[Dosi: He’s not.] [Dosi: He came to me directly]

[Martii: ohhh..!xx] [Martii: In that case, I’m in! I’ll join your arty farty thing xx]

[Fraaanky: same!] [Fraaanky: there’s gonna be drinks at this do, right?]

[Dosi: Is that all you think about?]

[Fraaanky: to be frank] [Fraaanky: and I am] [Fraaanky: yes]

[Dosi: This is going to be great! Aaaah, I’m so excited!]

[Aaron: That’s great. I’m glad that you all seem to be so enthusiastic about this.] [Aaron: I would greatly appreciate it if you two can tell anyone who you think would be interested in starting an art program in the school about this. We’re going to need lots of support and volunteers if we want to get this art program in.] [Aaron: Do any of you have any questions so far? I know this may be a lot for some people.]

[Fraaanky: ive got one] [Fraaanky: are you a robot?] [Fraaanky: you type like one]

[Martii: Francis Kinloch! Don’t be rude!xx]

[Fraaanky: what? he does!]

[Dosi: I think he meant questions about the dance, Franky XD XD XD]

[Martii: I’ll talk to my classmates!xx] [Martii: If nothing else, the promise of a fun night out will be enough to convince people to come xx]

[Fraaanky: gonna get krunk!] [Fraaanky: ill do the same]

[Dosi: Thanks girls!]

[Fraaanky changed Aaron’s name to Aarobot]

[Aarobot: …]

[Martii: You’re so immature!xx]

[Aarobot: This is acceptable. I can’t deny that its an accurate nickname for me.] [Aarobot: Just please don’t call me this when you see me in real life..]

[Dosi: I’ll be in the library just before lunch, Aaron. I have a free hour before then ^_^] [Martii: Lucky xx] [Martii: I’m stuck with George King for an hour xx]

[Aarobot: George King?]

[Martii: Just a kid from math class xx] [Martii: Uggghhgh but if I have to sit through another hour of him boasting about being british, I’m gonna stab him]

[Fraaanky: permission to watch??]

[Martii: Permission granted xx]

[Fraaanky: permission to join?]

[Dosi: Patent pending ^^“]

[Fraaanky: buzzkill]

[Dosi: He’s not thaaaaat bad… ^.^ just eccentric!] Theodosia frowned as she felt Mark stir beside her, when he’d previously been asleep. [Dosi left the chat]

[Fraaanky: Go figures.]

[Martii: That time again, I see… xx] [Martii: Hey, Aaron? Do us a favour tomorrow? xx] [Martii: I don’t know how much you know about Dosi and Mark but keep an eye?xx] [Martii: He’s not exactly a gentleman xx]

[Fraaanky: smh]

[Aarobot: Actually, I had the misfortune of seeing what you mean for myself. Of course I’ll keep an eye on her.] [Aarobot: If it isn’t too intrusive, Mark threatened to show something to the whole school because he thought she was being too friendly with me. Do you have any idea what it is? Just for the purpose of helping her out of that situation.] [Aarobot: Of course, I understand if you don’t want to tell me. It seemed like something very private.]

The pair went silent for a second, though it showed that they were typing, until 'Franky’ responded first.

[Fraaanky: mark is a huge asshole] [Fraaanky: like honestly i dont like dosi being alone with him]

[Martii: No one does xx] [Martii: He’s got no respect xx]

[Fraaanky: i dont think we should tell you what exactly he has on dosi] [Fraaanky: but pls dont piss him off to the point he’ll share it] [Fraaanky: itll break dosi]

[Martii: Francis is right xx] [Martii: It’s… really up to Theo if you know about it or not. We promised not to tell anyone xx] [Martii: But right now, it’s better to appease Mark than to challenge him xx] [Martii: Theo’s got too much at stake xx]

[Aarobot: I have to admit, I made him pretty angry earlier because of how he was treating Theodosia, but I never would’ve done it if I’d known that she had something this bad at stake.] [Aarobot: I will do my best to be careful.]

The chat fell silent again for a bit again.

[Fraaanky: your a senior] [Fraaanky: can’t you get him expelled or something?]

[Martii: He’s still not a teacher, Franky xx] [Martii: Or robot, for that matter xx] [

Fraaanky: smh] [Fraaanky: try and steal his phone off him idk] [Fraaanky: though tbf he’s probably got back ups]

[Aarobot: I can’t get him expelled myself, but if he has that information on his phone, I could get someone to steal it, maybe while he’s at practice, and find what it is, then show it to someone who can get him expelled or even arrested, depending on the severity.]

[Fraaanky: nO] [Fraaanky: DONT DO THST] [Fraaanky: DO NOT]

[Martii: Franky, Aaron can probably help get this sorted xx]

[Fraaanky: yeah, and have h i m see /it/??] [Fraaanky: Dosi won’t talk to us anymore]

[Martii: And that’s important?? I’d rather her free of Mark xx]

[Fraaanky: and say he DOES have backups? which knowing him he probably does]

[Martii: It’s worth a shot… Xx]

[Fraaanky: nO, IM NOT OK WITH THIS]

[Martii: Aaron, we all got drunk one night and started texting guys we thought were cute xx] [Martii: Dosi had the worst crush on Mark because he does football or whatever but he never paid a n y attention to her xx]

[Fraaanky: Martha stop] [Fraaanky: it’s not your info to share]

[Martii: So I have to leave because Francis gets stupid drunk and she’s puking up everywhere, then Dosi is on her own back at hers still drunk af xx]

[Fraaanky: S T O P]

[Martii: And I guess Mark started replying to Dosi’s messages eventually? Either way, they get talking xx]

[Fraaanky has kicked Martii from the group chat] The conversation went dead for a minute before Francis messaged once more. [Fraaanky: sorry but you can’t know. it’s not up to Martha who knows. it’s up to Theodosia. Just know Mark has shit on Dosi she doesn’t want shared and it’s with good reason. see ya] [Fraaanky has left the chat]

Aaron didn’t even get a chance to respond, it happened so fast. He could assume what Mark had, but he wasn’t going to judge Theodosia for it. She was drunk, she couldn’t control her actions. Mark was pure scum for taking advantage of her like that. He had to check on her… But Mark would kill them both if she found her talking to him…Well…. He had an idea, but he hated it. No. Theodosia’s safety was more important. He signed into his other Facebook account and began messaging Theodosia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help out a broke college student, you can ask for commissions at slashgashotaku@gmail.com. I also do free requests.


	41. Chapter 41

[Sammie B: Hey, Theodosia! Its Samantha from English.] [Sammie B: I know it’s kind of late, but Marti told me about the art thing and I couldn’t wait to ask about it!] [Sammie B: Are you free right now?] [Sammie B: Sorry.. I meant, like.. to message me, lol] [Sammie B: If not, that’s totally cool!]

Aaron couldn’t help but cringe at how he sounded, but.. At least he sounded like more teenage girl and not an apparently robotic teenage boy.

It took a while, but Theodosia did respond, much to his relief. [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Oh hey! ^_^ Martii works fast!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I didn’t know you were into art! That’s great!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Ok, so… I don’t have like a l l the details but Aaron Burr from senior year is in charge of it I think, with Alexander Hamilton. The guy from all the rumours lately with Thomas someone?] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: But don’t sweat it! Aaron had nothing to do with it and is a really sweet guy! Anyway, they’re putting together a prom-like dance thing for us first years! We’re gonna raise money and get an art program into the school] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: So… they need all the help they can get from arty people from our year to help with decorations and spread awareness of it and such! I’m sure Aaron would love to have you on board! I’ll text him the deets later! Cooking right now!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Oh! And if you have any questions, I’ll forward them on too!]

It didn’t seem like she knew who he was.. He couldn’t be outright about it, though…

[Sammie B: Okay! Just wanted to text you : )] [Sammie B: I’ve heard of Aaron Burr!] [Sammie B: I don’t know why, but people say we’re a lot alike?] [Sammie B: They say we’re almost the same person.]

Theodosia furrowed her eyebrows for a second before her eyes went wide with realization.

“Who are you texting?” Mark asked as he came up behind her.

“Just a friend from English cl-”

“Guy or girl?”

“Girl..”

“Okay. I’m heading back into the living room. Don’t be too long.”

Theodosia nodded and texted this ‘Samantha’ back, having a feeling that she wasn’t exactly who she said. [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: You sound alike!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I’d love to get a Peep at your art!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I’m meeting up with Aaron again tomorrow! If you have any questions, I can get you answers then!]

It seemed like she got the hint, but he had to be sure.

[Sammie B: Really? No offense, but I heard from Marti that your bf, Mark, really protective. Is he okay with you hanging out with him?] [Sammie B: Because if not, I hope you two find a way to still talk. This art program talk sounds really important.] [Sammie B: Sorry if I’m pressing, you totally don’t have to answer my questions if you don’t want. And, like, if you do want to answer, don’t be embarrassed, you know? The truth is the truth and it isn’t your fault.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Mark may or may not fully know everything about me talking to Aaron… (°ロ°)] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: He’s not all bad. He just comes across as it. It’s hard to explain, but he’s just protective, y'know? <3] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: He means well. That’s all that needs knowing (ᵔᴥᵔ)]

[Sammie B: Okay, if you say so : )] [Sammie B: Just thought I’d ask, sorry.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I’m making an omelette! I’m trying out a veggie recipe my cousin sent me!]

[Sammie B: Oh, cool!] [Sammie B: Oh, that’s right! I remember you told me that you were a vegetarian!] [Sammie B: Looks totally delicious! <3]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: It’s just one of the perks of working with animals, I guess! <3] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Just… cant stand the thought of hurting them, y'know? ༼ つ ◕u◕ ༽つ]

[Sammie B: Ugh.. I wish I could eat healthy like you..]

He sent a picture of the cupcakes that he’d put in the fridge outside of the box. Now Theodosia would know for sure who it was if she hasn’t before, but Mark definitely wouldn’t be able to tell.

[Sammie B: I have too much of a sweet tooth…]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: If you want, I can send you some recipes.] … What was that smell? “Crap!” Theodosia cursed lightly as her omelette began to smoke in the pan. This wasn’t like her. She’d become so engrossed in her conversation with Aaron, she’d become distracted.

“What did you fuck up?” Mark called from the living room, pausing the TV.

“N-nothing…” She called back. “I just… burned my food is all…”

“Come in here and share mine.”

“But it’s chicke-”

“Don’t be fucking fussy.” Theodosia bit back a whimper. [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I’ve gotta go. Sorry.] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: See you in the library tomorrow, Sammie \ (•◡•) /]

Aaron frowned and sighed, a message coming back through on his regular Facebook account.

[Martii: Ok ok ok, I never told you this, and if you claim I did, I’ll deny it xx] [Martii: Like I was saying before Francis kicked me, Theo and Mark got talking when she was drunk and he started sending her some really inapropriate messages xx] [Martii: but Theo was crazy into him (she used to be in cheerleading and just saw him around a lot I guess) xx] [Martii: and I really haven’t told you this, and you have to swear on your life to tell no one xx] [Martii: But Mark basically took advantage of her and got her to send him -pictures- if you catch my drift xx] [Martii: Franky doesn’t want you to help because she doesn’t think it’s right you get the chance to snoop through them xx] [Martii: and honestly I agree with her. If you’re like Mark, we’re gonna fucking bury you xx] [Martii: Knowing Mark, he probbly does have back ups. So… idk. Dosi was just crying and so scared and hyperventilating the next day bcuz Mark threatened to post them online xx] [Martii: we don’t know what to do. So… do NOT piss him off. It’s on your head too now. xx] [Martii: and if those get leaked because of you, good fucking luck buddy. xx] [Martii: so just… be subtle if you do anything ok? xx]

[Aarobot: Don’t worry. I didn’t hear any of this.] [Aarobot: And, if I were to see the pictures, I swear on my mother’s grave that I wouldn’t do it for my own pleasure. I’m actually asexual, so I wouldn’t want to, no matter who it was.] Now that wasn’t to say he didn’t like Theodosia in a romantic sense. That much he couldn’t deny. But he wasn’t interested in anything below the belt or below the neck, for that matter, and he’d always been that way. [Aarobot: I promise I’ll do my best and be subtle to help.] [Aarobot: There’s no doubt if I get him caught with this, backups or not, he would be arrested because Theodosia is underage.]

Martii: So is Dosi… which makes what Mark’s doing even more awful xx] [Martii: Or like, she is now. Mark’s kind of put her off the whole sex game xx] [Martii: She’s been trapped with him for like half a year now… it’s really bad xx] [Martii: Thx for this, dude. Owe ya! xx]

Aaron sighed, then suddenly remembered something. How could he have forgotten?! He messaged Thomas Jefferson. [Remember when I said before about Mark Prevost? Could you please hold out on doing anything for a while? I found out what he has on her and it isn’t good. I don’t want to risk it spreading.]

[..ok, so I might have told one person, but they’ve been sworn to secrecy xx] [So what is this juicy goss Mark’s got on Theo anyway? Besides that she’s hot af :p xx]

[Who did you tell?] [And I can’t tell you what it is. There’s no wiggle room there. I’ve also been sworn to secrecy and threatened with death by the person who told me.] [Also, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk about her so rudely. This isn’t John.]

[..ouch] [touchy much? xx]

Okay, that was pretty harsh. [Sorry. I forgot that flirting like that was just part of your personality. I didn’t mean to get so defensive.]

[theo looks good is all… :p but hey, if you want her, I’ll back off xx] [I told Jay. That’s about it. But dw- after the cafe, he’s laying low, I’m pretty sure. Probably because he knows he’s on Laurens’ hitlist xx] To tell the truth, Thomas was sitting opposite Jay at the time he was texting Aaron. Jay was studying hard on some piece due the following day whilst Thomas was 'studying’ with Facebook open on his laptop screen instead.

“You’re sure it’s a good idea letting Aaron know you told me?” Jay questioned, looking up from his book.

Thomas shrugged. “It’s a worse idea to lie about it. I’m in enough shit as is.” He replied, continuing to type. He flicked over to Mark’s Facebook page. “Ugh. The guy’s built like a tank…”

“Jealous?” Jay snorted, eliciting a kick from Thomas.

[I know he’s been marked for dead, but I really hope that doesn’t mean that he thinks he’s got nothing to lose.] [I hope you’re absolutely sure he won’t tell anyone.] [I also hope he knows that John’s probably still going to kill him if he doesn’t. That isn’t up to me and John knows nothing about this.]

[If he says anything, I’ll personally put him in the ground myself xx]

[Thank you.]

[So… Theodosia, eh? ;) xx] [She’s managed to get you all worked up, huh? xx] [Good luck with that ;) Mark is gonna kiiillll yoooooooooou xx]

“Wait, I thought Aaron was ace?” Jay queried, now peering over Thomas’ shoulder as he typed.

Thomas didn’t seem to care. “Doesn’t mean you can’t have crushes, genius. And Burr’s got it bad.”

“…so, do you really think John’s gonna kill me tomorrow?” Came Jay’s next question. “As a guy who’s had his nose broken twice by the guy… yeah, you’re screwed.” Thomas replied, causing Jay to groan.

[Its not like that. She’s just a sweet girl and I hate to see her in such a compromising place.] [Even if I did have feelings for her, I hope you realize that that would not be why I’m doing this. I work for things that don’t only benefit me, you know.] [Sorry. I’m just annoyed right now.]

[Don’t be so defensive ;* xx]

“..hey, this is my chance to get back into his good books.”

Thomas’ laughter dropped into a frown. “What did you have in mind?”

Jay rummaged into his pocket and took out a packet of tablets. Rohypnol.

Without thinking, Thomas snatched them off him.

“Hey!” Jay protested.

“No! Bad idea! You’re an idiot!” Thomas argued.

“You don’t even know what I had in mind!”

“If it’s anything to do with these, you’re gonna land yourself in even deeper shit than you’re already in! I can’t believe you! What good would come from drugging Theo-”

“I was going to drug MARK, not Theodosia!”

Thomas paused as Jay glared at him.

“If Mark’s got shit on Theodosia, then we could drug him, find out what he’s hiding, then get it cleared out the way.” Jay explained.

Thomas remained silent. ’

“..you’re tempted, right?”

“I’m tempted to smack you.”

“Just trust me?”

Thomas laughed at that last statement.

“Just text Aaron the idea…” Jay pressed with a grumble.

Thomas sighed and wiped his face. “You’re a moron.” [Dicksforbrains has an idea to get whatever info you need out of Theo’s bulldog xx] [And it’s stupid as fuck xx] [He wants to drug Mark. Unbelievable xx]

Aaron’s expression said it all about his reaction to Jay’s idea. And his face said “what the fuck?” This idiot really was trying to get himself killed or jailed, wasn’t he? [Here’s a better idea. Why don’t I we get John to dress up like Theodosia and ask Mark what he’s hiding himself?] [I ought to go over there just to slap some sense into him.] [Please tell the genius that drugs are never the answer. And that it would be illegal.] [I don’t think you can die twice, but ask Jay if he goes through with that idea.] [Besides, I know what he’s hiding. I just need a way to show someone, like Adams. He could get in major trouble for this.] [Jay used to be so smart. And nice. What happened?]

Jay tutted in disgust at Aaron’s replies before tugging his backpack on his back. “I’m heading home. It’s late.” He reached for the packet of pills and Thomas snatched them before he could grab them.

“Forget about these! Fucking hell…” He scolded him.

Jay left the house in a huff, leaving Thomas to sigh and rub his temple.

[Jay’s just gone home. Jesus fucking Christ, everything is such a mess. Nothings ever easy xx] [are you gonna tell Alex about this? xx]

[No, I don’t think we should tell him anything. At least not until we’re sure that we can get Theodosia out of this.] [To be honest, I wasn’t even supposed to tell you anything. Please don’t tell anyone else anything.] [Especially not anyone with an affinity for drugs.]

[My lips are sealed xx] [I’m gonna get some sleep, man. It’s late. Xx]

Thomas was right, it was late. And they had school tomorrow. Aaron put his phone down and went to sleep, though his phone woke him up at 3 am.


	42. Chapter 42

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Hi um] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Sorry I know this is late] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I tried texting Martha and Franky but they’re both sleeping] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Mark went out drinking with some friends about 4 hours ago and still isn’t back] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: And my parents work awful shifts and probably won’t be back til morning] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: And I just… really hate being on my own] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Ah this is dumb.. I’m sorry, I’ve probably woken you up] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I just need someone to talk to for a bit til this awful feeling passes, y'know? I’m sorry... ugh I’m a wimp] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: there’s just things going bang in the night that are really freaking me out]

Aaron didn’t mind. Theodosia needed someone there for her and she even remembered to message his other account.

[Sammie B: Don’t worry about it. Its no problem and you’re not a wimp. Everyone has their fears.] [Sammie B: I’ll be right here as long as you need.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Sorry sorry sorry :')] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Thank you for this, really] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: just wish I could fall asleep ;_;]

[Sammie B: Don’t worry about it.] [Sammie B: I’ll just have some extra coffee in the morning, no big deal. : )]

Did… Did he just use an /emoticon/?! This was worse than he thought it was. He really, /really/ liked her… Buy this was not the time to panic.

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: shout out to the world’s worst guard dog…] She sent a picture of Thor fast asleep at the foot of her bed.

Aaron chuckled and sent back a picture of his black and white cat, who woke up the second he began stirring.

[Sammie B: That’s why I’m a cat person. CC doesn’t dare to leave my side at night.] [Sammie B: I’m not saying that dogs aren’t great, but cats are better.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: aw! cute!] Theodosia not only typed this. She verbally ‘aw’d at the picture as well and found herself smiling genuinely for the first time that night. [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I’m pretty sure Thor is just a dinosaur in pom form… she’s a jerk but I love her]

[Sammie B: Aww, well I’m sure she means well. She seemed like a sweetheart earlier.] [Sammie B: My recommendation: get a cat. CC’s the best guard dog I could ask for.]

Aaron smiled and absentmindedly pet his purring cat as he texted. He hadn’t had him for particularly long, but the pair got along like they’d known each other for a lifetime.

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: one sec somthing just banged downstairs.. ;-;] Theodosia disappeared for a minute or two before typing again. [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Ok ok ok it’s all ok just the wind playing tricks on me] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I need to grow a backbone X(]

[Sammie B: Glad to know that you’re still safe. Who else would I text in the middle of the night?]

He got up and followed his precious cat out to the kitchen, letting have a midnight snack of a can of food. How the cat managed to stay thin was almost a mystery if one didn’t know about the fact that the cat had two cat towers in Aaron’s room and another in the living room, though he mainly stayed in his room. But he denied that he spoiled the cat.

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: If Mark wasn’t allergic, I’d S O get a kitty!] Theodosia found herself laughing at Aaron’s last comment. [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: You’d probably get some sleep! XD XD XD] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: CC seems like a great kitty] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I mean, Peep is cuter, but CC is pretty good]

He sent Theodosia a picture of CC eating his reward.

[Sammie B: Cat’s are amazing creatures. This one demands food payments for early hours, though. He doesn’t think he’s fed enough during the day for this, apparently.]

Once he was done eating, he followed him back to bed, texting Theodosia as he walked.

[Sammie B: Say what you want, CC’S the most precious animal in my eyes.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: oh hey, after school tomorrow, Franky, Martii and I are heading to this ice cream parlour not too far from the park] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: You should come with if you want to meet everyone!] Theodosia would be lying to herself if she said this wasn’t an excuse to hang out with Aaron more. [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: You can bring along a friend or two too if you want! :P]

[Sammie B: I’d love to go!]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Great! Now, we should really get some sleep if we don’t want to be zombies later] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Thank you for tonight. Really. It means a lot] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I just wish I knew where Mark was… he heads out late quite a lot but he’s usually back by now.] Theodosia allowed herself to get sidetracked for a moment. [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: I wish he didn’t drink so much… nothing good ever comes of it ;-;] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Sorry, sleep, us, need]

He smiled and sent a picture of CC as he stretched and yawned

[Sammie B: Looks like he had the same idea.] [Sammie B: Maybe I can bring him with me, too. He could use some fresh air.] [Sammie B: Well, goodnight then. I guess I’ll see you at the library tomorrow.] [Sammie B: If you’re ever having trouble sleeping or just want to talk, feel free to text me. My Facebook messenger is always open.]

The next morning, Aaron received word from Thomas on Jefferson Hall.

[Morning lover-boy. I forgot to say last night but I got Jefferson Hall booked for ya. I’m a blessing, I know ;) xx]

Aaron rolled his eyes at the flirty tone. [Thanks, Thomas. I really appreciate it. Send me the date that you booked it for, please.]

[Yeaahhh that’s the one downside. We need to get a move on sorting stuff out. It’s for next Friday. It’s the only date I could get :p but hey, I got it! xx]

Next Friday? That was so soon… [Jesus Christ, Thomas…] [I appreciate your help and all, but we’re really going to have to get things moving if we want to make that date.]

[It’s fiiiiiine, I’ve seen your past projects. Besides, we’ve got people now. Xx] [I’ll post on Facebook about there being a dance and people will go nuts for it xx] [Plus, we’ve got Theododdiisssiaaaa. She’s popular in her year, right? Get her to make a post too ;p xx]

[If you say a word to her about this, you’re dead. Again.] [But I will ask her.] He sighed. Well, better tell Alexander about this. [So… Jefferson got us a free venue for the dance.] [Our main problem is the only day he could get it for us is next Friday.] [Of course, it’s definitely possible, but we’re going to have to really work hard to get everyone and everything we need.] [Maybe we could make this a costume party sort of dance? It would be easier and cheaper for everyone to get a costume, so it’s likely that more people would attend this way.] [And I already found entertainment. Theodosia’s friends are musicians and we can easily find a few more volunteers in the band.]

[ok thx] [costooms sonds gud] [maybe herc can get ideeas 4 us?] Alexander sighed, just waking up. Well, it was better than nothing. He glanced over at John and smiled. He was still asleep. He watched him sleep peacefully for a minute before gently poking his cheek. “Hey.. Time to get up, sleeping beauty.”

John slowly woke up and smiled. “Hey..” He kissed his cheek.

Alexander smiled and checked his phone as it buzzed again, a text from Laf showing up.

[Hey, I’m bringing you a change of clothes. I’ll be at John’s apartment in a few.]

[k, thx] “You can go get ready and I’ll make breakfast. Laf is bringing me clothes.”

“Okay.” He kissed his cheek, then grabbed a change of clothes and went to the bathroom, taking a shower.

Alexander got in after him and Laf got there right on time, John buzzing him in as he finished eating. “Thanks, Laf,” he said through the slightly open door before shutting it again and getting dressed. When he got out, the three got in Laf’s car and went to school, Alexander bolting out when they got there. “I gotta see Aaron, bye!”

Lafayette and John chuckled, heading inside. It wasn’t long before they spotted John Jay.

“Hold my bag for a second.” He gave Lafayette his bag and followed Jay, grabbing his arm and dragging him to the bathroom.

Lafayette made it his job to keep out any people who knew that something was about to go down and deter any teachers who knew the same.

John grabbed Jay’s collar and held him up against the wall, lifting him up just as he had Thomas. “So, you thought it was a good idea to date rape my boyfriend in broad daylight.”

“L-Let’s not be too hasty! I-I was just trying to help out Thomas! He loves you and really wants you back!”

“I don’t care.” He lifted his fist, but was interrupted by Lafayette coming in.

“Thomas says to come out to the front of the school. I told him what was going on, bu he says it was important.”

“Alright.” He turned back to Jay and glared. “Don’t think you’re getting off that easily.” He punched him in the face, feeling that familiar crack under his knuckles, and dropped him. “Nobody will believe you if you tell.”

“Fuck you!” he spat out as John left. He was just doing a friend a favor! They were going to pay for that.

A few minutes earlier, Thomas pulled into his parking spot at the school and saw a small kid walking outside. What was someone their age doing here? As he got out, he saw her looking around, clearly lost, and recognized the green eyes and freckled face. “Mary? What are you doing here?”

She turned at the sound of her name and frowned, blowing a raspberry at Thomas before continuing to walk, acting like she wasn’t completely lost.

Thomas sighed. Yeah, that was about right. Still, he couldn’t just let her walk around. He went to her and knelt down beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Hey.. I know you hate me, but I can help you. Are you looking for Jack?”

She pulled away and stomped on his foot, though it did just about nothing to hurt him, and ran off. She ended up getting caught in a huge crowd of kids, all about twice her height, and began crying.

Thomas broke through the crowd and picked her up, Mary actually complying this time. He took her and got out of the crowd, then texted John. [Yo, come out to the front of the school, please? xx]

[This is Lafayette. John’s busy.]

[It’s important, you can come too, if you want. xx]

[I’ll tell him.]

She sniffled and let Thomas hold her. “I just want to see Jacky…”

“He’s coming, I promise. Don’t worry.”

She nodded and buried her face in his chest, crying softly as he rocked her. She hated him, but he did love John at some point. Maybe he just made a mistake, not that she’d know anything about what happened.

“Mary?.. What are you doing here?” John took her from Thomas’s arms and held her close.

“I missed you… I don’t want you to leave again..”

He frowned. “I know.. I’m sorry.. But you have to go to school. You’ll see me another time, I promise.”

“But I miss you..”

“I miss you too.. But you have to go to school now. You have to be brave and patient. Can you do that for me?”

She nodded slowly. “I think so..”

“Good.. Let’s get you to school.” He kissed the top of her head and walked off, Thomas frowning at the sight. He had no idea that John’s dad was so homophobic. The night that John broke up with him, he went over to apologize and was met with that awful man. The door was slammed in his face and, next thing he knew, John loathed him. He sighed and turned around, going to class. He sat across the room from Alexander, who’d just received a text from John.

[Hey, Mary came to school to find me and I tried getting her to go to school, but she won’t stop crying. I’m going to stay with her. Love you <3] He held Mary in his lap as she bawled and rocked her. As soon as they got to her school, she burst into tears and hadn’t stopped since, though she was slowly calming down.

[its ok, go do ur thing. love u 2! giv mary a hug frm me <33] Alexander couldn’t deny that he was upset, but it couldn’t be helped. He sighed. During second hour, he sat beside Lafayette and asked him some things about the dance.

Lafayette promised to try and get Herc’s family’s help as far as costumes went and messaged Sarah under his desk. [Hey, Sarah, I hate to ask you this, but we’re trying to get a school dance together and it’s going to be a costume dance. Do you think you could help us out? Maybe give a small discount to anyone who buys from your shop?]

[Oh, of course! Wed love to help!]

[Thank you!] He looked up as someone came through the door, a girl with a short mess of hair.

“Ms Kinloch, what can I help you with?”

“I’m looking for a Ms Lafa…. Laghalot?.. Lafayeet?..”

Lafayette face palmed as she butchered his name, used to it. And then there was the missed pronouns. As long as his name was, nobody bothered to go past the first one.

Eacker sent her back out and hushed the giggling students before sending Lafayette out.

When he got there, the girls smiled at him, then acted like he wasn’t there, thinking they were waiting for someone else.

“… I believe you were calling me?”

“Oh! Sorry. I don’t think they’ve done a name change for you in the system yet..”

“No, that’s my name. I didn’t change it.”

“Oh.. Well, nice to meet you, Marie.”

“Please, just call me Lafayette.”

“Okay..” The three girls went silent for a second before the one on the left spoke up.

“Well, Lafayette, my name is Martha. This is Frances and Theodosia. We’re freshman and we heard from Aaron Burr that you were starring in the senior musical, Heathers. We were wondering if there were any openings?.. Our year is doing King Lear, but-”

“But it’s so boring,” the messy haired one, Frances, whined.

Lafayette nodded. “Well… I can’t promise you anything..”

“Oh, at least hear us sing before you say anything!” Frances pulled out her phone and played a recording of the three girls singing Candy Store.

Lafayette was far too polite to say it out loud, but there was a huge chance of getting them in over the Heathers that had been cast. “I think I can convince Eacker to listen to you.I think you three might have a chance.”

“Yes!” Frances exclaimed. “There’s senior drama tonight, right? We can go do it then!”

“But we’re going out for ice cream later,” Theodosia pointed out. “And I have to be home before Maaa-yyy mom. She works late and I prefer to have food ready for her.”

Lafayette nodded. “That’s understandable.”

“We’ll get you home before then, we promise.”

“Okay.. Well, I have to tell Aaron about-”

“Invite him!” Martha encouraged.

“I don’t know..” She looked at Lafayette. “Can I?”

“I’m sure it’d be no problem.” He smiled. “You three are probably going to have to perform for the whole class, just warning you.”

“Of course!”

“We were expecting it.”

“Right..”

“Good. If that is all, I will see you three this afternoon.” He nodded and went back to class.

Theodosia took a deep breath as she walked away, her friends chatting excitedly. She might not have had much of a problem with the performance… If Aaron wasn’t going to be in the audience. She had been so reserved in front of him, she didn’t want him to think that was some sort of cover. She sighed and texted him. [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Hello! Good morning, Aaron!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Thank you again for last night… I didn’t get the chance to properly thank you yet for that <3]

Aaron felt his phone buzz and checked it beneath his desk, smiling and blushing when he saw who it was. He wasn’t afraid of being teased, he knew his classmates were all afraid that he’d snap their souls in half with a single comment, and he had a good reputation with teachers just like Lafayette, only for being a diligent student. He just texted back.

[Sammie B: Good morning, Theodosia.] [Sammie B: No need to thank me. I was just doing something nice for a friend.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: There’s been a *slight* change of plans for after school. We’re going to the senior drama class first, then we’ll head to the ice cream parlor! (◕‿◕✿)] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: But Laffayet says you’re welcome to tag along, so you should do that if you want! c:]

[Sammie B: No problem. That sounds like a great idea. I would love to tag along.] [Sammie B: As long as that doesn’t mean that I’ll have to go on stage myself and perform. I’m not exactly a performer..]

Oh, god. It was getting worse. /Emojis/. He really did have it bad for her… He sighed and got up as the bell rang, heading to the library for lunch, just as he’d arranged with the girls and Alexander.  

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: Great! And don’t worry… I know the feeling] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: This is more for Franky and Marti than anything… those two are super talented] [Theo ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: But hey, it’s going to be Heathers, so that’s pretty neat!]

[Sammie B: Actually, I’ve heard about the play from Thomas Jefferson. He’s playing JD.] [Sammie B: It sounds like they’re on the right path for a great performance right now.] [Sammie B: I’m already in the library for lunch. You can bring your friends, if you want. Is it alright if I invite Thomas Jefferson? Alexander should be coming, too.]

[Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: We’re on our way!] [Theoʕ•ᴥ•ʔ: And that’s totally fine! Invite whoever you want! The more the merrier!]


	43. Chapter 43

Thomas arrived before them, sitting beside Aaron at the circular table.

Alexander glared at the Virginian when he arrived and sat on the other side of Aaron.

The three giggling girls arrived soon after, Frances sitting next to Alexander, Martha beside Thomas, and Theodosia between-

“Well, aren’t you a cutie?”

“Drop it, Jefferson,” Alexander warned.

“What? I was just repeating what Aaron told me.”

Theodosia went bright red. Had Aaron actually said that about her? The embarrassment on his face said Thomas was just being a jerk. Or, maybe it said he did..

Martha cleared her throat. “Aren’t we here for the art thing?”

“We are,” Aaron responded. “Thomas, we’re not here so you can flirt with the first years. If I were you, I’d mind your manners before I get John Laurens to break your nose again. According to your stories, it doesn’t take much.”

Thomas was quick to get silent. Aaron really knew how to strike a nerve…

“Thank you.”

Alexander chuckled at his quick silence and opened his notebook to a page full of ideas. “I was thinking over a bunch of different ideas for themes and I think Disney is a good one.”

“Because it’s for John?” Thomas asked.

Alexander began to ask how he knew John loved Disney, but was quick to stop himself. “Well, it’s pretty broad. There’s traditional Disney, Pixar, Marvel, even.”

“Oh, it’s costumes?” Frances asked.

“Yeah.”

“Sweet! Everyone’s going to love that.” She smiled.

“We were hoping so. And I got Lafayette to see about getting a discounts at a shop for costumes.”

“That’s great.” Aaron smiled a bit. “Now, about everyone’s roles in this..”

“Martha and I can work on music and getting the word out. Theo, you’re good with decorations, right? You can handle that with Aaron.”

She blushed a bit, but nodded.

Alexander shuddered. “I guess that leaves financial stuff to me and Thomas…” He could do it for Aaron, at least.

“We’ll do that,” Thomas confirmed. “So, when are we doing this?”

“Tomorrow at lunch. I need a day to mentally prepare,” Alexander muttered as he pulled out his phone, texting John. [hey cooooootie <3] [hop ur day wit mary is gud] [mis u tho] [luv u <3] Having to deal with Thomas required a reminder of what he was going through this for. Or, rather, who.

Theodosia had been thinking in the meantime. Where could she and Aaron ever meet up without Mark finding anything out? That was going to take some thinking…

The bell rang after a few minutes and they all got up, going to class.

Thomas walked with Alexander. “Couldn’t wait to work with me, huh?”

Alexander audibly hissed.

Thomas tutted. “I’m kidding, you cobra. Don’t act like I’m any more eager to be with you than you are.”

“Don’t think I’m going to be your friend just because you’re doing something nice.”

“Trust me, Hamilton, I don’t need /your/ validation.” He walked off.

Alexander bit the inside of his cheek, knowing exactly whose validation he wanted, and checked his phone. Nothing. Strange.. John always answered within a few minutes. Maybe Mary was keeping him busy, but Alexander wanted to talk to him now.. He ducked into the bathroom and called John. “Come on.. Where are you?..” He sighed, worried as his call went unanswered.

John was just waking up as Alexander called him, his head pounding and his throat killing him. He sat up and reached over to grab his phone, Maria walking in and frowning.

“Bad John, you should be resting,” she scolded as she sprayed him with a water bottle.

“Hey, hey, chill, I feel fine. I can sit up in bed and answer a phone call. And I’m not a cat.”

“You might as well should be, you never listen to what you’re told.”

“I promise I’m going to be okay. Trust me on that much.”

She sighed. John was as stubborn as a mule. She may have been a mother to a toddler, but even she was no match against him. “Okay.. Fine… You promise you’ll call me if you need anything.”

“You go get Susan and go home. I’ll call you if I need anything, I promise.”

“Okay..” She hesitated, but walked out.

John grabbed his phone and frowned when he saw that Alexander had called, calling him back.

Alexander had just been walking out of the bathroom when he got the phone call, practically getting whiplash as he turned to answer it. He went back into the bathroom and answered the call, holding the phone against his ear as if it were a message from god. “Hello?” he croaked out.

“Hey.. Sorry, I finally got Mary to go to school and I was going to go back, but I started feeling kind of sick. I’m back at the apartment. I was just taking a nap.”

“Does your throat hurt?..” Poor John’s voice sounded like someone had sanded down his vocal cords. “Are you going to be okay? My lessons this afternoon aren’t that important..”

“No.. You should go to class. I promise I’m going to be okay.”

Alexander frowned. John was sick… The last thing he was was okay. “I’m going over.. You always take care of me. And you sound awful…”

“Please don’t..” John wasn’t just asking, he was almost pleading.

“What’s going on?.. John, please tell me the truth..” He began walking out of the school. John must’ve been in some kind of trouble.

“Alex, just go to class. You can come over after school.”

“No, I’m going over now. Please John, you’re scaring me..”

John sighed and gave in. “Fine..” He took a deep breath. “When I was leaving the house to walk Mary to school, my father got there…”

Alexander felt his heart stop. Suddenly, he was running, sprinting to get to John’s apartment.

John listened as Alexander’s breaths became ragged and his feet pounded against the street, getting to his feet as he heard cars honking in the background. He dropped his phone as Alexander hung up, going to the living room and praying that he’d hear Alexander buzzing in. Instead, he heard knocking at his door. He looked out the peephole and saw Alexander. He swung the door open and hugged him tightly, pulling him inside and shutting the door behind him. “I was so worried for you.. You’d better never run into traffic again.”

“I don’t care about me. I care about you.” He pulled away and looked at John, his heart breaking. He looked awful… He had a black eye and a split lip, a bruise on his cheek, a handprint on his throat, and he just knew there was more under his clothes. “John..”

“I’m going to be okay, I promise. I’m a fast heal-”

“How /dare/ he do this to you?! This is disgusting! I’m going to march over there right now and give that pig a piece of my mi-”

“No!” John stumbled back, pulling Alexander away from the door. “Please, you can’t do that! I’d never forgive myself! Just stay with me, please!”

Alexander sighed, exasperated. This was not John Laurens, this was not his boyfriend. This was an empty shell of him, what was left after he’d been broken. “I’m sorry.. I’ll stay, I’m not going anywhere, I promise. I love you..”

“I love you too..” John sniffled and let him go.

“I can’t pretend that this isn’t bad, though.. You’re my boyfriend. Hell, you’re a person, John. This is awful.”

“Alex..”

“I won’t go to him, I promise. I just… I need you to go rest.”

John nodded and went to bed, pulling Alexander to go lay with him. “I just want you to be here for me… Can you please do that?..”

“What if Laf or Herc asks? I’m sure they noticed you were gone..”

He thought for a second. “Can you just tell them I was sick?.. I don’t want them worrying too…”

“Okay..” He laid down with John and made sure he was comfortable.

At the same time, Hercules and Lafayette were just getting out of school. They walked up to the drama room and waited outside.

“I’ll see you later, okay?” Hercules smiled.

“Okay.” He pecked his lips. “I’ll text you John’s address. Text me when you find out how he’s doing”

“Of course.” He walked out and went to the apartment. As promised, Alexander told him that John was sick, but Hercules wasn’t buying it. “Just make sure he’s actually okay this time, please?”

“I will..” Alexander nodded and shut the door, sighing.

Hercules messaged Lafayette. [Hey, Alex said everything’s good, but-] He couldn’t do it. Lafayette wouldn’t have been able to focus during drama. He could tell him later.. He sighed and left.

As Hercules would’ve predicted, Lafayette’s spirits were high at the moment. He smiled as the girls came up to him.

“Hey, Laf!” Martha smiled.

“This is so exciting, you have no idea,” Frances squealed out.

Lafayette nodded. “I could only imagine. Did you three want to do a quick run before doing it for the class?”

“Yeah, I think that would be best,” Theodosia said.

“We can go to Eacker’s classroom.”

Thomas came over. “Hey. Are you three girls looking for me?” he asked with a smirk.

Lafayette rolled his eyes. “Leave them alone. They asked and I got them an audition as the Heathers.”

“Oh, right. They asked me about what we were doing and I led them to you.”

“Well, do you want to come watch them do a quick rehearsal?”

Thomas smiled. “Yeah, that’d be great.”

Aaron ran up to them, slightly out of breath. “Sorry, I got caught up.”

“It’s no problem. Do you want to come watch us practice for our audition?” Martha asked, making Theodosia go bright red.

“That sounds nice. I like Heathers.” He smiled and followed them down the hall to Eacker’s empty classroom.

When they got there, they guys pushed back some of the desks to make room as the girls got ready and sat in a row in front of them.

The three girls took position, a little more color in Theodosia’s face now.

“…Are we going to have a problem?!” Frances began. “Ya got a bone to pick?! You’ve come so far, why NOW are you pulling on my dick?!”

Thomas’ attention peaked as Frances made direct eye contact with him.

“Normally I’d slap your face off…! And everyone here could watch! But I’m feeling nice, here’s some advice, listen up, biotch!”

The heart of the song chimed in. This was evidently not the first time the three girls had performed this together; their moves were far too choreographed for that. Though with the amount of nights they’d spent performing with one another for fun, perhaps that wasn’t such a surprise. Frances swung her hips as she walked forward, Martha and Theodosia spinning out beside her before pressing their backs together.

“I like!”

“Looking /hot/, buying stuff /they/ cannot!” Frances addressed her audience.

“I like!”

“Drinking hard! Maxing dad’s credit card!”

“I like!”

“Skipping gym, scaring her-” She gestured to Aaron. “Screwing him!” She gestured to Thomas.

“I like!”

“Killer clothes! Kicking nerds in the nose!” The three girls kicked in sync on the word. If it was one thing the girls had nailed it was audience participation, willing or not. Not even Thomas’ relentless smirking could throw them off. Or at least, if it /was/ bothering them, it was so far masked under this new facade that it wasn’t noticeable.

The song continued on in a similar fashion, this time, Martha and Theodosia taking the lead roles and Frances supporting them. Each selected a person to focus on. Frances, in the center, singled out Thomas. Martha, to the side, focused on Lafayette. And, of course… Theodosia, to the other side, homed in on Aaron.

“Guys fall!”

“At your feet! Pay the check!” Martha grinned, leaning closer to Lafayette.

“Help you cheat!” Theodosia did the same to Aaron, determined expression in her eyes.

“All you!”

“Have to do!”

“Say goodbye to Shamoo!” Thomas found himself leaning backwards as Frances got closer. She must’ve been doing a good job to make him a touch uncomfortable.

“That freak’s!”

“Not your friend! I can tell, in the end!” The three girls took the hands of the person in front of them. No wonder Theodosia had been so nervous. Taking Lafayette’s hands would’ve been a cinch. He was soft and friendly, especially with the stars in his eyes as he watched the performance. Thomas… would’ve been painfully uncomfortable… then there was Aaron who, she was sure was reconsidering anything and everything about her now.

“If she!”

“Had your shot!”

“She would leave you to rot!” The girls yanked their hands back, teasing their audience with affection then ripping them away. They then pirouetted back towards one another in the center of the room.

“Course, if you don’t care, FINE! Go braid her hair! Maybe Sesame Street is on!” Theodosia continued, leaning back as for the other two to catch her, then flick her back up on “Wooaaaahhh!”

“Or forget that creep!”

“And get in my jeep!”

“Let’s go tear up someone’s lawn!”

Seeing Francis ‘push’ Martha down and tell her to “Shut up, Heather!” was hilarious, Martha’s reaction completely over the top and eccentric.

“It’s my Candy Store, it’s my candy…” The girls began to snap their fingers and pace back towards their chosen 'victim’ in the audience. “It’s my Candy Story, it’s my candy…!” Martha leaned back over Lafayette, Francis over Thomas… Theodosia over Aaron. “It’s my Candy Store, it’s my Candy Stoooooore!” Upon hitting the final note, each girl, once again, span away from the boys and held a pose in the middle as the music cut… for a minute before the three burst into giggles, both excitedly and embarrassed.

Lafayette jumped to his feet and started applauding the girls, a wide grin spread across his face. “That was amazing! Eacker would have to be insane to not cast you three.”

Theodosia smiled shyly and tried to gauge Aaron’s reaction. The look on his face was of complete awe, though she wasn’t completely sure she read that right.

Awe didn’t begin to cover it. Theodosia put on such a convincing performance and that voice… He could listen to her singing all day.

“Let’s go, I’m sure he’s wondering where Thomas and I are.” He smiled and led everyone back to the auditorium, where Eacker was going over a few things without them. “Sorry we’re late.”

“It’s no problem. You know I’m late all the time.” He smiled. “Now, are you girls ready? I think Laf said you were going to perform Candy Store?”

They all nodded and climbed onto the stage, Theodosia needing a bit of help from her two taller friends, and performed the song similarly to how they had, but without having to involve any other students.

After, everybody was applauding them and agreeing that they should be cast. Well, almost everyone. The original three Heathers didn’t seem too pleased to be upstaged by a bunch of freshman. Still, the choice was clear. The three girls were the new Heathers. Lafayette smiled and jumped around with them, on the same teenage girl wavelengths as them. The rest of the time was spent talking about dates and the schedule as far as when they’d be rehearsing songs versus rehearsing scenes and the like.


	44. Chapter 44

By that time, Alexander had finally gotten John to tell him what exactly had happened. His father had dragged him up the stairs by the throat, hit him until he went down, and kicked him until he was satisfied and it infuriated him. John knew he was right in holding out on a few details.

“I’m sorry.” He got to his feet. “I can’t just.. I can’t just sit around and do nothing. I won’t go to him, but I have to do something. I can go make dinner. Or I can go get you some pain medicine. Or I can get some take out.”

John sighed and slowly sat up. “Okay.. You can take care of dinner and I’ll try to work on not looking like the undead..” By then, he’d been back to his normal self, for the most part. “I’m going to go take a bath, okay?” He got up and grabbed a towel and a change of clothes before heading to the bathroom, calling out to him on the way. “I’m going to be listening to loud music. If you need me, you’re probably going to have to text me or something.”

“Okay..” Alexander watched him leave, then pulled out his phone and got on Facebook, looking up this Henry Laurens. He looked every bit like a scumbag, as expected, and Alexander felt rage burning inside of him just looking at the picture. He knew that it would’ve been foolish to message him, even more so to visit, but he had to do something…

John sighed and turned off his music. As therapeutic as he found it, he needed human affection. He needed Alexander to join him. “Hey, Alex?” he called out. After a few minutes, there was no response. “… Alex?..” Again, nothing. He whimpered softly and got out of the bathtub, getting dry and dressed as fast as humanly possible, then looked for him. Where was he?.. He was probably out getting food. John took a deep breath and tried tog ground himself before calling Alexander. No answer. He texted him. [Alex, wher arr yoi? I need you.] His hands were shaking so badly that he couldn’t text as accurately. It was only minutes before the panic escalated, enclosing him in a cloud of anxiety and fear. He needed someone there right now. He clicked on Lafayette’s number and texted him. [Panix atracl, pleasd hekp] As much as his hands were shaking, he didn’t even realize who he’d messaged.

Thomas didn’t know what to feel when he read the message. Surely, something like that was meant for Lafayette. Or, better yet, Alexander. Still, he wasn’t about to let John suffer. He got up his feet and left without a word, the urgency in his pace keeping anyone from asking about it. He got in his car and began driving towards John’s apartment. Of course he knew where it was, he’d tried going and offering John help right after they broke up, but John wasn’t having it. He sighed at the memory and kept driving. When he got there, he buzzed the number for John’s apartment and was let in without a question. He parked and hopped out of his car, going up to the door and knocking. John opened it fairly quickly and practically threw himself into Thomas’s arms.

Thomas frowned. The poor thing was in terrible shape… “Hey, I’m here now..”

John peeked up at him. “Where’s Laf?..”

“Sunshine.. What happened to you?..” He closed the door behind him and moved them towards the couch. “Where’s Alex? Did he do this to you?”

He shook his head. “When I went home…”

“Oh..” he muttered.

“Where’s Laf?” John asked again, his voice more of a whine.

“He’s at drama. Why?”

“You’re here.. Why not Laf?.. I messaged him..”

“You wanted us both here?”

“No.. I only messaged Laf..”

He frowned and got out his phone, showing him the text message. “No, you texted me.. I guess it was an accident..”

“Sorry..”

“No, don’t be. I’ll text Laf and get out of your hair.” He started to get up, but John grabbed his arm.

“Don’t go.. Please?..”

“You.. You want me to be here?”

He nodded. “Alone.. I can’t..”

Well, who was he to refuse? “Of course. Do you want me to message Laf and stay?”

“Please…”

He sat back down and let John curl up against him. “Even when he gets here?”

He nodded and buried his face in his chest.

Thomas wrapped an arm around him and rubbed his back soothingly, shooting Laf a text. [John needs you over, now. He texted me on accident, but he wants you here too.]

[I’ll be there.]

“Laf’s coming, sunshine, don’t worry.” He rested his head on his and asked once again. “Where’s Alex?”

“I don’t know.. I called, I texted.. I don’t know..” A few tears spilled out of his eyes. “It hurts.. Everything hurts…”

“I’m sorry..” He rocked him gently and hummed for him, a technique that always worked for him. Slowly, he felt John’s grip loosening and his breathing slowing down to a normal pace. “There you go.. It’s okay.. I’m right here for you. I’m going to stay with you, okay?”

John nodded. “Yes please..”

Thomas sighed as he held him. This was not good. He promised not to force John back into a relationship, which he wasn’t, but that moment brought back some of the things he’d missed about John and some other things that made him so desperate to be with him. He just wanted to hold him and protect him and never let anyone else hurt him. Well, Alexander did hurt him . And he’d be damned if he didn’t pay for it.

Lafayette arrived within a half hour and buzzed in. “John, I’m here. Can I come in?”

Thomas looked down at John. “I’m just going to buzz him in, okay? And I’m going to open the door when he gets here, then I’m going to come right back here. Is that okay?”

John nodded and let go. “You don’t have to ask anymore.. I’m feeling a bit better…”

“I just wanted to be sure.” He got up and went to the door, pressing the buzzer beside it and letting Lafayette in the second he got to the door.

Lafayette strode right past him and knelt down beside John, frowning. “Oh, John.. Who hurt you like this?.. Where is-”

“Laf.. Don’t mention him.. It’s not good right now.”

John nodded in agreement and Lafayette accepted the answer, watching as Thomas came back and sat with them.

“Did you want him to stay here?..”

“Yes..” He curled back up against Thomas. “Is that bad?..”

“No, it’s not bad. I just wanted to be sure. Do you want anything else?”

“Hot chocolate?..”

“No problem.” He smiled softly and went into the kitchen.

“I’m going to go help him out. I’m in the mood for a coffee, too.”

John nodded and got up. “I’ll be right back..” he disappeared back into his room as Thomas joined Lafayette in the kitchen.

“I don’t think Alexander wants to be found..” Lafayette help up Alexander’s cellphone, which had just been on the counter. “This is ridiculous. He should be here.”

“He can be in hell for all I care. All that matters is that John’s okay. We got here before he could do anything he’ll regret.” He looked in the fridge and tutted as he found it nearly empty. He grabbed what was left of the milk and used it to make John’s hot chocolate, then made his coffee. “Need a caffeine boost?”

“Yes, thank you.” He glanced over to the living room to make sure John couldn’t hear before lowering his voice. “Why did you come?”

“He texted me on accident. That’s why I just left. I couldn’t leave him here, I couldn’t chance telling you and wasting any time. I’m not looking for anything more than getting him in a good spot.”

It sounded sincere, but Lafayette couldn’t be too sure… He wanted to threaten to boot him if he stepped out of line, but what about John? His mental health mattered more.

“Think what you want of me, I would never take advantage of John in this state. Him, I care about. Alexander, not so much. And after today, he’s such a-” He stopped himself. “Sorry. I know he’s your brother.”

“I’m not going to forgive you for what you did, but I can’t blame you for saying that now. He should be here, not wherever he is.”

Thomas nodded and poured the coffee into two mugs, adding sugar and letting it cool off a bit. He watched as John came back with his laptop and sighed. “I should’ve been more patient with him..”

“I’ll say.”

Thomas tutted. “Look, whatever you know, I didn’t do it.”

“And no matter what you say, I’m going to have to believe John over you.”

“I get it..” After all, whether or not he assaulted John, he also outed him to his father and tormented him and his friends just to get him back. He knew what he did was wrong and John already made it clear that he’d only called him in on accident. And the second Alexander returned, he’d be out and it’d be like nothing ever happened. “What am I doing here?..”

Lafayette frowned and stopped mixing his coffee, putting the mug down. “Listen.. I’m not your biggest fan and I don’t know what he really wants right now, but I do know that you can not leave. He can’t take that right now. You want to make everything up to him? Start now by being here for him because you want to help him, not because you want him.”

“You’re right..” He took a deep breath. “I want to make everything up to him.. And I should make it up to you guys, too. I’m still going to throttle your brother.”

“I can’t blame you..” He followed him out to the living room and they sat on either side of John as he played Heathers.

“You guys are doing this one, right?..”

“Yeah.. But why don’t we watch something you want to? We’re here for you.” Thomas didn’t think watching Heathers would be a good idea with the multiple mentions of suicide in it.

“Okay.” He glanced at Lafayette’s hand, frowning when he saw what he was holding. “Where did you find that?”

Oh no.. “Alexander left it in the kitchen.. He probably just forgot it.”

He shook his head. “Alexander wouldn’t forget his phone.. He doesn’t want me to find him.. He wants to leave me..” He began shaking and his breathing fell into an irregular rhythm again.

“John, he’ll come back, please-”

“Why did he leave me?! What did I do to him?! I wanted to be good, but he just..” He cut himself off as he began sobbing again.

Thomas pulled him back against his chest. “Shh.. If he left you, that’s his mistake. You know that someone who makes you cry like this isn’t worth crying over.. Just let it all out and it’ll hurt less.”

Lafayette eyes Thomas suspiciously. It was hard to tell if he was trying to be supportive or trying to get Alexander out of the picture.

Either way, John clung to his shirt and kept crying, slowly calming down. He couldn’t tell what Thomas was up to, either, but what he did know was that he was right. Alexander wasn’t there for him. He asked one thing from him and he wasn’t there. He calmed down faster under that mindset. He still loved him. Alexander was his boyfriend and he made him happy, but he also hurt him.

“I’m going to try and look for him.. Okay?”

John nodded and waved at Lafayette as he got up and left. Once he was gone, he let go of Thomas and sat up again, pulling up a movie on his laptop. “I don’t know if you’ll like this.. It’s pretty much all drama.”

“Are you sure?..”

“I’ll be fine. I love this movie.”

Thomas watched as the scene began in a stormy night. ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’, huh? He remembered John reading the book, hardly able to keep himself out of it. Well, if John liked it, who was he to complain? And the movie was beautiful, though not nearly as beautiful as John. He played with John’s hair gently as the movie played, both of them relaxed together for the first time in a year.

Lafayette drove to Herc’s shop and was glad to see that it was only him in the shop.

“Hey, baby. What are you doing around here?” he smiled, though it fell when he noticed his expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Alexander’s missing and John was panicking because of it. Do you know where he is?”

“No.. I have no idea. I was just closing up, I’ll help you look for him.”

“Thank you..”

Hercules closed everything up, then followed Lafayette out to his car as he texted George.

[Is Alexander home? He left John’s place to get some food and he hasn’t come back. John’s getting worried.]

[No, I haven’t seen him. Is everything okay? - Dad]

[Everything is fine, he probably just got a bit lost. I’m looking for him.]

[I hope you’re not hiding anything from me. I’ll make a few calls and see if anyone can find him. - Dad]

Lafayette sighed and got in the car, driving around. He went to the school, the library, every shop he could think of, but nothing. There was no sign of Alexander.

“I’m sure we’ll find him. Then us and Jack can all have a good laugh about… Wait… You didn’t leave him alone, did you? Where is he?”

“No, I didn’t leave him alone. He’s back at his apartment.”

“With Maria?”

Lafayette hesitated. “With Jefferson..”

“With who?!” He sighed in disbelief, then shook his head. “I didn’t mean to yell, but.. Why did you think that was a good idea?”

“I know, I’m sorry, but John texted him and he wanted him there and Thomas said he wasn’t going to hurt him. It may sound bad, but I trust him.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing..”

“So do I..”


	45. Chapter 45

And things were just fine with Thomas and John. The movie was just ending and John wasn’t sitting so close to Thomas anymore, a choice that he respected.

“… Do you think you can bring Lucy over? I can cover my bruises.. I was just getting hungry and I was thinking I could go make dinner and we can catch up when you bring her..”

Thomas smiled. John really did care about his sister. “How about this, Lucy’s a little too young for that kind of thing and it’s getting kind of late for her. Why don’t I take you over to mine and I can make us some dinner?”

“I don’t know..”

“You have my vow that I will not do a thing. You know you could kick my ass if I tried.”

John thought for another minute before nodding. “Okay.. But if you try anything, I’m walking home. And you might just lose the ability to walk.”

“Noted. Don’t worry.” He got up and watched as John left the room and went towards the bathroom. Once he came back a few minutes later, he got up and walked out with him, taking him to his car. It had been so long since he’d been anywhere near him for so long without any tension, any malice. “I’m just going to say it, you deserve so much better than Alexander. Hell, you deserve better than me. I want to apologize for being so pig headed. I know what you’ve been through and I should have been more understanding. At first, I thought you were overreacting, but I know that was wrong. I shouldn’t have reacted so childishly to you liking someone else..”

“Thank you for apologizing.. I can’t forgive you for what you did to my friends, but I do forgive you for that night..”

“I understand completely.” He got to his house and Thomas walked with John to the front door, letting him in. “Lucy! I brought you a friend!” Within a second, Thomas heard feet pattering down the stairs and smiled as Lucy appeared, running to John just as she had the last time.

“Johnny! You’re back! You said you’d come back and you did!”

“Of course I did! I can’t just abandon my princess.” He smiled and hugged her tightly.

Thomas disappeared into the kitchen as John took Lucy to the couch and sat with her, popping a frozen pizza into the oven.

“So, now that we have a little more time, why don’t you show me your beautiful artwork?”

She dashed up the stairs and came back with a pink notebook, showing John the drawings inside. There were all sorts of animals, dogs, cats, birds, anything she could see long enough to draw.

“Wow! Did you make all of these? They are so good.” He smiled.

“Tommy says that I might be as good as you one day.”

“Obviously. You’re such a good artist.”

Thomas joined them on the couch. “Johnny wants to be an art teacher some day.”

Lucy gasped and looked up at him. “You do? You’ll still teach me, though, right? I had you first!”

“Of course!” He smiled. “I’ll help you be a great artist.”

“Yay!” She smiled and hugged him tightly.

Thomas smiled and got the pizza when it was ready, then listened as John and Lucy spoke, both of their smiled as bright as the sun. He missed that, simple moments like that. And, clearly, so did Lucy and John himself. After about half an hour, Lucy began yawning. Well, she was already supposed to be asleep. She was even in her pajamas already. “Come on, Lucy, it’s past your bedtime.”

“Noooo!” She whined. “I want to stay with Johnny.”

“I know.. But Johnny has to go home too. Come on.” He gently pried her off of him and began walking towards the stairs when she started screaming and thrashing. “Oh my god- Lucinda Jefferson, cut that out!”

“No! I won’t get to see him and, and it won’t be fair!” She continued her ear piercing screaming as Thomas carried her towards her bedroom. “Take me back! I want Johnny!”

“You have to go to school in the morning! Just calm down!”

“No!”

John sat downstairs and ate pizza, listening to the screaming from upstairs. Lucy wasn’t going to stop until she got what she wanted, he knew that, and what she wanted was him, so it was best that he stayed where he was. It took a whole ten minutes before Thomas came back down the stairs.

“Sorry.. Kids… You know how it is.”

“I know. It’s fine.”

“Let’s head back to your place before Laf beheads me.”

John nodded and followed him back to his car, getting in and buckling his seat belt as he began driving.

“So.. Is Laf spending the night with you?..” It only made sense to ask. John was in too bad of a position to be left alone.

“I don’t know.. I’ll ask.” He texted Lafayette. [Hey, are you free to spend the night?]

Lafayette frowned as he checked the message, just pulling up at his house because George saw that Alexander was online on Facebook. If he asked to spend the night, it would look suspicious to his parents. After all, John had four siblings to watch after him and a father who, for lack of better terms, hated Lafayette. He turned to Herc. “Hey, Herc, do you think you could spend the night with John?.. What am I supposed to say if George asks me why I’m staying over with him and his father, who hates me?..”

“You’re right. I can do it, no problem.”

“I’ll take you to get your things after this.” He went inside with him and found George on the couch with his laptop.

“He just went offline again. I messaged him and asked where he was and he just said he was at a friend’s house. I can’t imagine where that would be if now with one of you guys. Where’s John? Is he okay?”

“Yes, he’s with his friend, Maria. He’s calm and just waited there in case he came back. Alexander left his phone there, too. I don’t think he wants to be found..”

He sighed. “Well.. Wherever he is, at least he’s safe..”

“Right..” He went upstairs and got Rosie, figuring that John could only benefit from having her there, and left with her and Hercules, driving to his parent’s shop. When they got there, Lafayette put Rosie in her harness and let her sniff around as they waited for Hercules to get back.

She began sniffing the floor and stood at attention, pulling Lafayette around.

“What are you up to, Cherie?” he asked, though he figured that nothing could go wrong from following her.

She kept sniffing around and walking until she ended up at a bus stop. She began sniffing in circles.

“I wonder..” Lafayette muttered as he read the stop schedule. The last bus would’ve left right when Alexander disappeared. And the stops.. There he was.

“Laf, I’m ready to go. Are you okay?..”

“I think I know where he is. We have to go.”

“I’m on it.” They got in the car, Hercules holding Rosie, and began driving.

John walked upstairs and went into his apartment, Thomas trailing behind him. “Thank you for everything.. I wish I could make it up to you.”

“You have nothing to make up. You did nothing unjustifiable.” He sat beside him on the couch once they got inside.

John sighed and looked down at his hands, then up at Thomas. “Still.. You’ve been great today.” This wasn’t good. He could feel his heart beating in a way that he hadn’t felt in a year. Or, rather, in a way that he spent the past year trying to ignore. Thomas really was different than he was just a week ago. But Alexander… John couldn’t deny that he still loved him, suffering or not. He’d have to figure this out on his own.

Thomas smiled back at him, glad to see him feeling so much better. Alexander was scum for making him suffer and, well, he himself was no better. Not yet. He put his hand under John’s cheek and turned his face. “I want to apologize, too… But.. I have to say, Alexander’s been a shit boyfriend to you. Getting you into fights, stressing you out, you don’t deserve that. You deserve flowers everyday, love notes, things I can give you if you just give me another chance..”

This wasn’t good.. This wasn’t right.. “Thomas.. I-” He was interrupted as Thomas’s phone began ringing over and over again, all showing him messages about the same thing.

The Laurens Pamphlet.

“Finally, I’m done,” Alexander sighed as he leaned back.

“Alexander.. Maybe it’s about time you got home.. I’m sure everyone is so worried about you. And your boyfriend isn’t going to like this..”

“I’d rather him be mad at me than sad and scared. I did this for him.”

Eliza sighed. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea..

Hercules checked his phone as it buzzed, Lafayette’s doing the same in his pocket as he drove. He checked it and his eyes went wide. “Laf, you need to drive faster.” He read him some of Alexander’s post and felt Lafayette speeding up.

“I can’t believe him! John is going to kill him, if I don’t beat him to it.” His brakes screeched as he arrived at the Schuyler estate.

“I think your brother is here,” Eliza said.

“I heard him. It’s fine, I’m done. Its done. Thank you.”

“Of course.” She walked him to the door and waved as he left.

Lafayette was steaming as he sat in the car, unable to even glare at Alexander as he got into the car.

Even Hercules didn’t bother scolding him as Lafayette drove. If anybody was going to have the first word, it was him, and he didn’t think it was a good idea for anybody to try and change that.

“Where do I even begin? We’ve all been worrying for hours. I drove all around town looking for you. George and Martha are worried sick. And John..” He paused and sighed. “John was a mess. Emphasis on was. Imagine my shock when I received a text telling me that he was having a panic attack. I wonder where you are, but not without going and helping him. He was already calm by the time I got there, but I stayed around because leaving him was the worst thing I could do. I wanted to ask where you were, but just saying your name triggered a panic attack, triggered the thought that you left him when he needed him the most.”

Every syllable stung. Alexander felt physically attacked with every word. After all, if anyone knew how to keep their cool with Alexander, it was Lafayette. And now, here he was, furious.

“And, icing on the cake, guess who’d with him right now? Guess who calmed him down and kept him calm while I went out to find you?”

Naturally, Alexander assumed it’d be Maria. He opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Lafayette.

“Thomas Jefferson. And he’s almost as angry with you as I am.”

Alexander’s eyes went wide. “Tho… Thomas Jeffer-”

“Yeah. John was left all on his own, panicking and-”

“And you thought Thomas fucking Jefferson was a good babysitter?!”

“Hey! You don’t get a say in this, Alex!”

“Exactly. You caused this mess and it was John’s decision to ask him to come over, not ours.”

Alexander frowned. They were right.. “Can I talk to John?.. I have to talk to him..”

Hercules tutted and grabbed his phone, calling John.

John was looking over Thomas’s shoulder, reading what all the fuss on Facebook was about. ‘The Laurens Pamphlet’?.. His eyes went wide as he took in the beginning words.

{This is an open letter to the fat, arrogant, anti-charismatic, national embarrassment known as Mr. Henry Laurens.} Alexander had made a /very/ public post was a calling out every abusive action John’s father had ever held against him according to Alexander’s knowledge… in gratuitous detail. From homophobic attitudes, to separating John from his siblings, to mental abuse and name calling, to physical abuse, scars and bruising. It painted Henry Laurens publicly as the monster he was and the worst part…? It was spreading like wildfire. 1 share, 3 shares, 8 shares, 17 shares, 34 shares… it just kept increasing and increasing. Angry comments spewing in with outrage against the disgusting man, many claiming to have already contacted police and other authorities about the man… If Alexander’s aim was to make this as public as possible, he’d certainly succeeded. The document concluded with {Of course, I know my dearest John Laurens would never allow such a post to gain such attention from the public. I very much doubt I will have the privilege of calling him my boyfriend after tonight… but his safety is my paramount priority. If he is safe from the horrendous clutches of the demon that is his father, my happiness is something I will very willingly sacrifice. I have no doubts he will quickly discover the existence of this document, and so, my wonderful John… my incredible Jackie… I’m sorry. I have no words for how much I love you. You make my heart flood with emotion and my head spin out of control. I struggle to get you out of my mind, and undoubtedly always will. I can only beg your forgiveness, and hope for your happiness, with or without me in it.}

But the last paragraph didn’t change a thing for John. He only had one thing in mind, one worry that mattered. “I have to make sure they’re okay!” he said as he jumped up, bursting into a sprint for the door.

Thomas caught him before he could, holding him against his chest and waiting for him to calm down. “No, sunshine, you can’t! That’s nothing but a bad idea right now and you know it. Please, you know he’d never hurt them. They’re safe, John.”

It was only a few minutes before John collapsed into Thomas’s arms, crying softly. “I never wanted this… He’s ruined everything…”

“Shh.. Maybe it’s best if you stay calm, sunshine. Just relax, okay? You’re smart. I know you can get through this..” He kissed his cheek and laid him down on the couch, running his fingers through his hair. “Just take this one step at a time. Can you do that?..”

John nodded. “What about my art?.. With this over my head..”

“Hey, none of that. You’re so talented, people would be crazy to let this stop them from buying it.” He sighed. “Still.. Alexander should not have done this. I know you keep secrets for him and he just gave up all of yours for the world to see..”

“Don’t remind me..” he muttered, checking his phone. “Hold on.. Herc’s calling me.”

“Want me to leave?”

He shook his head and let him rest his hand on his side as he answered the phone. “H-Hello..?”

Hercules frowned. He trusted Lafayette when he said that John was okay, but this didn’t sound okay. “Hey, Jack.. How are you doing?”

“I was okay until I read that stupid pamphlet..”

“I know.. I’m sorry.. We found Alexander. Do you want to talk to him?”

“No. I don’t want to see him or talk to him.”

“Okay. I understand. I’ll be there in a minute. We agreed that it’s better if I stay with you instead of Laf and I’ll even bring Rosie for you.”

“Thanks..”

“No problem.” He waited until John hung up and sighed.

Alexander didn’t have to ask. He knew John didn’t want to see him. He cried in the backseat as Lafayette drove.

When they got to the building, Hercules got out and headed up to John’s apartment and Laf went to the backseat, helping Alexander calm down.

“Hey.. I’m mad at you, but I don’t want you to suffer.. Look at me. You’re okay and that’s what matters.”

“John’s g-going to br-break up with with me..” he sniffled. “He-He’s going to date Tho-Thomas…”

“Do you really believe that it’s going to be that easy for him? You know better, I know you do.” He sighed and pulled him against his chest. “Listen.. What you did was wrong, but I know John. He’s going to give you a chance. He’s going to talk to you before he makes any decision like that.”

“I just wanted to-to help him..”

“And I understand that, but John’s smart.. You should have trusted him with some choice on whether or not you made this or whether or not he was okay. I know it looks bad, but John’s a fighter. He knows what he can take and what he can’t. It’s awful, I know it is.. But it was wrong to tell everyone his secrets like that and whatever he decides, he’d never try to hurt you. Do you understand?”

Alexander nodded.

“Good. Let’s go home, okay?”

He nodded again and Lafayette moved to the driver’s seat, driving home.

Thomas got up when he heard knocking on the door and answered it, Hercules glaring lightly at him.

“Jefferson.”

“Mulligan.”

“He doesn’t need you here anymore.”

He tutted and went back to John, taking his hand and kissing it. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay sunshine?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

He smiled and left.

“What a night, huh?..” Hercules began as he sat beside John. “How are you doing?”

“I’m alright.”

“That’s good. So.. How about ending this crazy night with just some movies and snacks?”

“That’s just what I need right now. I’ll get some snacks. You can pull something up on my laptop.”

“Will do.”

Within minutes, the two guys had a large bowl of popcorn, chips, and soda on the table and Justice League playing on John’s laptop. If there was one thing they could agree on, it was the fact that Wonder Woman made everything better.

About halfway through the movie, Hercules looked down and smiled when he found that John had slumped over in his sleep. He needed some rest after the crazy day he’d just had. He covered him with a blanket and fell asleep with him after cleaning up.

In the middle of the night, Lafayette woke up to Alexander shaking him lightly.

“Laf.. Can I sleep with you?.. I can’t.. Nightmares..”

“Yes, of course. Come here.” He made room for him and let him lay down before falling asleep with him and Rosie, who Herc had forgotten to take in all of the drama.

Alexander laid beside him and moved close, gripping his shirt tightly and squeezing his eyes shut.

 

In the morning, he was awaken by Rosie purring on his face. It was pleasant, but it didn’t stop him from feeling undead. There was so much that was no doubt going to happen. There was George and Martha, who’d let him off easy after the long night but no doubt had something to say about his disappearance, Hercules, who was probably furious, Thomas Jefferson no doubt wanted to throttle him, and then there was John. That’s who scared him the most. Not because of what he could do, but what he could say.

He slowly sat up, waking up Laf, and left to get ready for school. He burst into tears at the sight of John’s shirts in his dresser and pulled one out, holding it to his chest and taking in John’s scent. It may have been the last time he got to.

Lafayette sighed. Today was not going to be easy. He frowned before getting ready for school as well.

John was already gone by the time Hercules woke up and left breakfast and a note on the coffee table. [Hey, I’m feeling alright and I’m already at school. I wanted to work on a painting real quick. I’ll see you there. : )]

Hercules smiled a bit and got ready for school before eating and leaving. He was worried, but at least John seemed to be a bit better.

And he was, to the naked eye. He was standing outside of the school and painting, his bandana over his face, just like nothing ever happened. This time, it was a simple commission just in time for Valentine’s day, a silhouette of a couple dancing. He calmly painted away, jumping a bit as he heard a familiar voice.


	46. Chapter 46

“You can get in trouble for doing that, you know..”

He turned and saw Alexander, pulling down his bandana.

“Can we talk?..”

“Alright..” he muttered.

“I don’t know where to begin.. I’m sorry for leaving you… And I’m sorry for not telling you what I was up to, but I’m not sorry for what I did. I knew you’d never let me post something like that, but you shouldn’t be in that kind of situation. Nobody should. I know I did the right thing by writing that.”

John sighed and shook his head. “I feel humiliated. This is not something I wanted anyone to ever know. This is why I kept those things a secret in the first place, so they wouldn’t get blown up like this. I thought that you, of all people, would understand that. I thought you’d respect my boundaries.”

“I thought you’d be glad to know that he’d never be able to lay another finger on you. I can’t let that bastard get away with hurting you again.”

“And I understand that, I get it. But the least you could’ve done was run it by me before spilling my every secret. I trusted you..”

“And I trusted you not to spend all that time with Thomas fucking Jefferson.”

John frowned. “Jefferson didn’t leave me when I was having a panic attack. He insisted on staying with me even after I assured him I was okay, not leaving when all I asked was for him to be there.”

“If you want a rapist as your friend, then who am I to complain, then. Is that what you want to hear? That I’m okay with you calling up your ex the second your boyfriend was out of the picture, trying to help you get out of an abusive situation?”

“Whatever you’re implying, you have no right to be. I texted him on accident and I made sure he knew that the second he got there. I was panicking too hard to notice that it wasn’t Lafayette I texted. And he offered to leave the second Lafayette got there, but I was too panicky, unable to even make a damn sentence to get myself to make him leave.” He hesitated before adding the next part. “And.. And you know what, I’d rather you hang out with Aaron Burr than be dead. If you don’t feel the same way, then I guess that you won’t care that I probably would’ve ended up dead if i didn’t have half a mind to call someone, anyone, to convince me that that wasn’t the way.”

“I’m sorry that Aaron never tried to sexually assault me. Your mom wouldn’t have let you suffer like that, so why should I have?”

John gritted his teeth. “Don’t you dare bring my mother into this.”

Alexander was unable to stop himself by then. “Why? Do you hate being reminded that she trusted you to watch your siblings and you left them with an abusive bastard?”

“Shut up!” John screeched, tears streaming down his face. “I hate being reminded that the best day of my life was turned into the worst right in front of my eyes. I hate being reminded of the second that the monitors started beeping like crazy and I got pushed out with nobody to help me while I went through my first panic attack.”

“You’re not the only person who watched their mother die, you know! I went through the same thing, so shut up!”

Thomas heard the yelling and glanced around the corner, watching everything happen. This wasn’t his fight to stop.

“I’m not the one who brought your mother into this. And do you want to know why I didn’t mind having Thomas around after what he did? Because he didn’t do anything. One make out session went too far for me, I freaked out and punched him in the face after he touched me one time. I’m the one who broke things off, who ignored him all because of one mistake. Nothing compared to five years of actual assault, of Martha being threatened so I’d shut up, of my dad not caring because I should’ve tried harder to fight it.” John felt his stomach churning, but if Alexander wanted to spread his secrets, maybe he had to hear the whole story. “You want to know why I leave my siblings with him? Because they’re not me. They’re not the bastard child who made my parents get married, they’re not the stupid faggot child who can’t seem to stop getting assaulted, they’re not the ones my dad hate and he’d never lay a hand on them when he doesn’t even care if I live.”

Alexander felt himself shutting up. This was not something he was supposed to be hearing. And it wasn’t something that John wanted to share, he could see it in his eyes. He looked so empty.

“I’m used to the abuse. I’m used to the hate. I just wanted to be able to act like I was normal.” John began swaying, the stress getting to be too much for him.

Thomas swooped in and caught him before he could fall to the ground. “Hey.. I’m here, sunshine..”

“No.. No, you don’t get to-”

“Can it, Alexander.”

John pushed himself away from Thomas and took a deep breath. “What are you doing here?.. I wanted to talk to Alexander. Privately.”

“Yeah, but-”

“No. Let me talk to him alone.”

Thomas bit his tongue and got up, glaring at Alexander as he walked off.

“John.. I’m so sorry… I had no idea.. I should’ve talked to you..” Alexander began sobbing as he knelt down beside John. “But I’m not going to say I regret writing that pamphlet. Never.”

John wiped Alexander’s tears. “I get that.. But I’ll never think it was okay.. Do you.. Do you still want to be my boyfriend?..” John opened his arms for Alexander. He just wanted him to hold him.

“I don’t want anything else.” He fell into his arms and cried against his chest, feeling John crying into his hair. The pair stayed just like that for a few minutes, needing each other and regaining strength from each other.

After a few minutes, John pushed himself to his feet. “I’ll be okay.. I just wasn’t able to sleep.. I’m tired..”

“Let’s skip today… I really don’t want to go to school…”

“Me neither.” He smiled and kissed Alexander’s cheek before walking off with him.

“I’m sorry.. I shouldn’t have said all of that…”

“I shouldn’t have either.. That’s why I’m forgiving you so easily.” He squeezed his hand. “We both got carried away. Thomas isn’t coming between us that easily, I want you to know that.”

“Okay..” he muttered, not completely convinced.

They went to John’s apartment and sat on his couch, finally able to cry in the comfort of each other’s arms in private.

“I’m so sorry for saying that.. I had no right bringing up your mother and I deserve you yelling at me like that..”

“Thank you for saying that… I know you couldn’t control yourself and I could barely do the same.. That’s why I started boxing and why I understood your anger spells.. When I get them, I tear people apart with guilt.. Like cheating on a test or stealing a pencil, stupid little things that people don’t think bother them, I’ll twist them against them or, in this case… Yeah..”

“No.. It’s not okay.. I’ve been a shitty boyfriend and I want to be better.. I’m going to be a better boyfriend, I promise..”

“You’ve been just fine. One bad day won’t ruin our relationship.”

Alexander buried his face in John’s chest. He was dating a saint. “I love you so much… I do not deserve you…”

“Don’t talk like that. Just promise me that you won’t run off again.. I know you meant well, but that’s really, really bad for me..”

“I won’t leave you.. I promise I won’t leave you again.. I love you so much..”

“I love you too..” He ran a hand over Alexander’s hair.

“Can we… Can we talk about our mothers?.. Like just to open up a bit?..”

“Yeah, of course.. What do you want to know?”

“Just whatever. Like.. My mom used to flip when I came home covered in dirt and mud after playing with the neighborhood kids.. I was the smallest and I always made sure they knew I could keep up, but that meant playing with them in the mud. She always said she’d chop off my legs, but then we’d laugh it off and she’d get me in a bath.” He smiled fondly at the memories.

John nodded and chuckled at his own memories. “I know I used to stress my mom out more than she let on.. I’d always bring home animals I found on the streets and keep them in my room. Dogs, cats, turtles, of course.. And we lived in a neighborhood of spoiled kids, so rabbits, hamsters, a few snakes. And I’d always cry when I got caught and I wouldn’t stop until she made sure she found somewhere safe for them.” He snorted. “What really took the cake was the time I brought home a horse. How I managed to sneak him to my room, I’ll never know.”

Alexander laughed, unable to tell if John was joking or if he really managed something that crazy. After a few stories back and forth, Alexander sighed. “Okay.. Can we get serious for a moment?..”

“Yeah. What’s up?..”

“I just… I’m sorry.. About that night?.. I never would’ve tried anything if I knew about.. you know..”

John frowned. “Don’t blame yourself. Like I said, it was in the moment. I wanted to continue. With Jefferson, it was different.. He didn’t force me, but I was still dealing with anger issues and after he accidentally outed me.. I don’t know.. I couldn’t bring myself to talk to him..”

Alexander nodded slowly. “Can I ask you something?.. Do you… Do you still like him?.. Like, honestly. I won’t get mad.”

John hesitated for a few seconds before nodding. “I don’t think I ever stopped… But I still love you. Like.. I know it’s weird..”

“No, it’s totally normal. Like.. It’s not weird. It’s like me being bi. It’s not weird that I think both guys and girls are attractive. It’s not weird that you like two people at once.”

“You really think so?..”

“Yeah.” He kissed his cheek. “Maybe… Maybe you can talk to him about it..” The words felt like venom on his tongue, but he wanted John to be happy. And if that involved sharing him with Thomas Jefferson, then who was he to keep him from that.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean.. Like a poly relationship… I could learn to deal with Thomas and if it makes you happier to be with both of us, then I’d be more than happy to just have just some of you.”

John shook his head. “Oh, no. I could never ask that from you. Just because I’m poly or I like both of you doesn’t mean that I have to be with you. And I know how much you must hate him and how much he probably hates you…”

Alexander nodded. He really did hate Thomas, especially recently. He makes one mistake and he’s trying to take John away from him. Still… Maybe if the pair got to hang out, Alexander could learn to- “I was supposed to talk to him at lunch today! Ugh, I was supposed to work with him for something for debate society.” He texted him. [hey, sry i wasnt in, can we tak about finans 2moro?] “…. Thomas wants to beat me up, doesn’t he?..”

[Yeah, whatever. Then you can fuck everything up Hamilton style xx]

“I think he does..”

John frowned. “Well, if he cares about what I think, he won’t lay a hand on you. I’ll never let him hurt you.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Thanks..” John smiled. “Can we take a nap?.. I’m so tired.”

“I thought you’d never ask,” Alexander chuckled.

John kissed his cheek and pulled the blanket that Herc brought out over them, then fell asleep.

Aaron Burr was in need of some sleep at the moment as well. After a night spent looking for a way, he found a way to hack into Mark’s thumbprint lock and was able to take it to the police station in the morning, telling the officer he spoke to everything that he knew.

“Thank you. And how is it again that you came into possession of his phone?”

“I found it on the floor when I was on my way to the auditorium to see my friends in drama practice. I tried turning it in, but the office was already closed. I opened it to find a way to see who it belonged to and I found those awful messages.”

“I see. Don’t worry. We’ll take care of this. Why don’t you get to school.”

“Of course.” He smiled kindly and left the station, driving to school.

A few people muttered amongst themselves when they saw him coming in late, but they were too scared to ask him anything about it. Well, everyone but Mark was. He followed Aaron in the hallways.

“Hey, who do you think you are coming to class late, huh? You think you’re someone special? You’re just some nerd, not anywhere near as important as the captain of the soccer team.” He bounced a soccer ball on Aaron’s head and people began keeping their distance, not wanting to be there when he blew up. “You’re just mad that you’ll never be with Theodosia, aren’t you? You’re mad that she’d never want to be with some geek and you tried being a bad boy for once?” He did it again and Aaron just ignored it, knowing what was soon to come. “Well, guess what, Theodosia is my girlfriend, no matter what kind of stupid sweet things you do. You’re never going to change that. Even if she was stupid enough to break up with me, she’d never be interested in someone like you. I’ve been listening around and I learned that you’re not even a real-”

“Mr Prevost. You are to report to the office at once.”

Mark tutted and took the pass from Eacker, then glared at Aaron. “I’ll see you later.”

“No, Mark. You won’t.” Aaron watched as Mark walked down the hall.

“Are you okay, Aaron?”

“Yes sir. Thank you.” He nodded and walked towards his own class.

During that same class period, Frances looked around the room before leaning towards Martha. “What do you think those cops wanted with Theo? You don’t think Mark made her do something, do you?..”

“I hope not.. She’s too sweet for something like this..”

The pair couldn’t do anything but wait until they received a sign that Theodosia was okay. And boy, did she deliver. Their phones were flooded by messages within seconds and they excused themselves to the bathroom to freak out and talk once she got back to school. Naturally, there was also Aaron to thank.

[Frankie: yo, I don’t know how you managed, but you are the BEST!]

[Martha: Theo said the police said you helped turn in Mark!]

[Frankie: We so owe you one!!!!!]

[Martha: You’re her hero!]

Aaron smiled as the texts rolled in. He was glad to see that he could help. The responses that made him the happiest were, obviously, Theodosia’s.

[Theodosia: Hello! I just had the most amazing morning!] [Theodosia: I’m single! ^_^ And Franky keeps telling me that you had a part to play in that, so thank you!] [Theodosia: I can’t express it in text… but you have no idea how grateful I am…] [Theodosia: I’m going to be late in, but I’m coming to school. Can I meet up with you at lunch? I need to see you xx]

He blushed brightly and responded as soon as he could. [Yes, I did have a part in this and I’ll tell you about it when I see you at lunch later. I’m so glad I could help.]

[Theodosia: Not just help, this is a miracle!] She was happier than she ever could’ve been, even sitting in the back of a police car on her way back to school. She bit her lip before asking [Theodosia: Maybe we can hang out tomorrow and talk about decorations?] [Theodosia: And we’re havign a sleepover tomorrow. I’d love for you to come.]

[That sounds great. : ) I’ll see you at lunch.]

[Theodosia: Of course! Bye!]

[Bye.] He smiled and put his phone in his pocket, daydreaming. He didn’t care that Theodosia was single, he cared that she was safe and happy. Whether or not she wanted to be in a relationship was going to be all her choice.

When the bell rang for lunch, Theodosia practically floated to the cafeteria, walking past everyone with a bright smile. When she got there, she quickly fixed her hair and clothes before moving and sitting with Aaron at his usual spot. “Hi..”

“Hey.” He smiled. “I’m so glad to see you happy now.”

“It feels great not having to go home to him anymore. You don’t know how grateful I am that you did this.”

“You don’t have to be. I couldn’t let him hurt you like that anymore. And it wasn’t any trouble, I promise you.”

She smiled. “You’re the best. Umm…” She paused for a second before continuing. “So.. You know I like you, right?.. And.. And I like you, I really do.. But I’d prefer it if we just stayed friends… Or at least if we just weren’t really ‘boyfriend’ and 'girlfriend’… After Mark… You know?..”

“I completely understand. I was going to ask how you felt on the topic and I was expecting that kind of answer. Don’t worry, I’m completely okay with it. A girl like you is worth waiting for.”

She smiled and blushed brightly. “Thank you… You don’t know what that means to me..”

“It’s nothing, really.” He smiled back.

“You know.. Martie and Frankie are so wrong about you. You’re not some emotionless robot. You’re sweet and caring..”

“Well… I don’t usually have much emotion to show. Or any reason to show it. But it’s different with you.. I really do care about you.. Besides you, the only other human that really sees a human side to me is my grandmother and my one friend, who I’m not on such great terms with right now..”

“I get it. Some people have sides that they don’t want others to see. And I’m sure Thomas isn’t nearly as bad as he seems.”

“Thomas? Oh, I didn’t mean him. I had another friend, John Jay. He used to be a cool guy, but lately.. I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine. At least I have CC.”

She smiled. “He seems like a good cat. You should bring him to the sleepover. And maybe I can meet him tomorrow while we’re working.”

“And you can bring Thor over.” He returned the smile.

“That sounds great.. But do you think it’d be okay to leave them alone together when we go to Jefferson Hall?”

“Yeah. CC has enough places he can climb to and hide, if he has to.”

“Well, that’s good,” Theodosia giggled.

Aaron smiled. It was going to be a great day tomorrow, he knew it.

Theodosia tutted as the bell rang. “Has it been an hour already?.. Time really flies when I’m around you..” She smiled shyly and left.

Aaron smiled and went to his own class.


	47. Chapter 47

Alexander woke up before John and laid silently with him, admiring the soft features of his face. He ran his fingers over his cheekbone and over his lips, humming quietly. John was so beautiful..

John smiled and grabbed Alexander’s hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles before opening his eyes. “Hey..”

“Hey.. How long were you awake?”

“Ever since you began admiring me.”

“Oh.. Sorry,” he chuckled.

“Don’t be. It’s sweet.”

Alexander smiled. “Hey.. So.. The thing we’re working on is a dance for the first years, a fundraiser with a Disney theme. It’s next Friday and I was hoping that.. Maybe you could go with me?..”

John smiled brightly and sat up. “I’d love to go. Is that okay?..”

“Yeah. We’re running it, so I don’t see why not. And Laf and Herc are probably going.”

“Then I’m so in. Who should we go as? I’m willing to wear a dress, if you want. Ooh! I’ll go get a sketchbook!” He jumped to his feet and went to his room, searching for a sketchbook that he wasn’t using for anything important.

Alexander smiled softly as he watched him run around enthusiastically. The dance was going to be great, a perfect opportunity to show John how much he loved him. “What’s your favorite Disney movie?” he asked as John came back.

“I don’t know. Well, Moana, but we can’t exactly do a prince and princess. So, either Beauty and the Beast or Princess and the Frog. Hmm..” He sketched out both ideas. “I think you’d make a better Prince Adam than a Naveen.”

“I don’t have Naveen’s confidence. Or his jawline,” Alexander joked.

“You’re still my prince and that’s what matters.” John kissed his cheek and made him smile.

“Thanks..” He chuckled as John’s stomach began growling. “Hungry, are we?”

“I didn’t eat lunch,” he shrugged.

“Well, why don’t I make you something? Since I didn’t get to last night.. Actually, I’m going to make you something.” He hopped to his feet and went to the kitchen… Only to find nothing but snacks anywhere. “… Maybe I can go out and get something?..” He turned back to face John. “But only if that’s okay with you.”

“I’ll do you one better. Why don’t we go shopping so I don’t starve later on?”

Alexander smiled widely. Shopping ordinarily sounded boring, but with John, it seemed like a fun, domestic activity, a bit of insight on what living together would be like in the future, if they lasted that long. “Yeah, let’s go!”

John smiled and got up, taking Alexander down to Maria’s apartment. When they got there, they got not only her car, but Susan as she attached herself to John’s legs. He thanked her and left, carrying Susan and putting her in her car seat once they got there. Once she was strapped in, he got in the driver’s seat and began driving, putting on a CD for toddlers. Any other teenager would’ve found the music unbearable, but with Susan singing along, John thought it was the most adorable thing.

Alexander was thinking the same thing as John drove, smiling back at her in the rear view mirror. When they got there, Alexander followed John out of the car and watched as he put Susan in the front of a shopping cart. He held his hand and followed him through the shop.

As they walked through the store, John saw panicking boyfriends and husbands everywhere. “Looks like everyone’s getting ready for Valentine’s day.”

“Oh, right. I almost forgot about that. I can’t believe it’s already on Friday..” He grinned and looked down at Susan. “We’d better watch out. Little Susie here might be getting all of the suitors.”

She tilted her head and looked at John. “What’s a suitor?”

“It’s when icky boys give you presents and try to be your boyfriend.”

She scrunched up her nose. “Ew..” She’d only met the few boys at her daycare, but she was clearly uninterested in all of them. “Can I take presents without the boyfriends?”

John smiled. “Yes you can.”

“Can you be my boyfriend and scare boys away?”

“Sorry, I’m already Alexander’s boyfriend.”

“Aw..” She pouted and looked at Alexander. “You better be a good boyfriend for Johnny.”

“I’ll try my best,” he chuckled.

John smiled and finished getting food, then took the pair to the lines and paid for it before leaving. As he put the bags of groceries away, Alexander strapped Susan back into her car seat.

That was an adventure himself with the toddler squirming, trying to mess with him, something she hadn’t done to John. Which was understandable, John was like a father figure to her and Alexander was just his boyfriend. And it wasn’t like she could cause too much damage. All he had to fix was his hair as he got back in the passenger’s seat, John getting in the driver’s seat.

John drove them home and took the groceries inside while Alexander got Susan out of her seat and up to the apartment.

It was a lot easier that time. She tired herself out the first time and was asleep, Alexander cradling her and taking her to John’s room to sleep, turning on the turtle night light that he had for her. He smiled and went back to the kitchen, helping John put everything up and sending him back to the living room to wait as he cooked.

John stayed out of the kitchen, but went back to Maria and gave back her car key to let her go to work, then came back and made sure Susan was comfortable before sitting in the living room and waiting.

A few minutes later, Alexander plopped down beside him and kissed his cheek. “Okay, so I haven’t tried making this before, I just found the recipe on the internet, but I think it’s going to be good.”

“And I’ll take your word for it.” John smiled and kissed his cheek.

Alexander sat quietly with him, enjoying the peace and the almost domestic atmosphere of the apartment until the timer rang. He sighed contently and got up, going into the kitchen and taking the shepherd’s pie that he’d made out of the oven. He cut himself and John a slice and took it out to him, letting him take the first bite. “Well?..”

“It’s great. You did a good job on this.” John smiled and kept eating, Alexander smiling and doing the same.

Before long, Susan came out of John’s room and yawned. “Dinner?..”

“Yeah. I’ll get you a slice.” Alexander got up and got Susan a plate, estimating how much she’d eat, then brought it out to her, finding her already perched in John’s lap as he put on Cinderella, her favorite Disney movie. The sound of John harmonizing along with the movie made his heart soar, just as always, and he leaned against him, smiling up at him. “I love you..”

“I love you too.” He smiled and leaned down, quickly pecking his lips.

Alexander smiled and sighed contently. The rest of the evening was spent the same way, watching Disney movies all together.

In the morning, they woke up and got ready for school, John taking Susan to Maria for daycare, and walked to school after breakfast. They didn’t have much time for John to paint, so they just went to class. When they got there, Adams called John to his desk and gave him a pass to the office.

“You have to go to the front office.”

John nodded and left, going to the office. When he got there, there were police officers sitting and waiting.

“John Laurens?”

“Yeah..”

“We have to take you in for questioning.”

John bit the inside of his cheek and followed them out to the car, not resisting as they took him to the station.

Aaron was just waking up and was ready to spend the day with Theodosia, smiling as he saw texts from her on his phone.

[Hey! Ready to hang out?]

[Of course. : ) I’ll be over in about half an hour.]

[Sounds great! You said I can bring my pom, right?]

[Yes, it’s fine.] He got up and got ready to have her over, straightening up the house a bit before driving over and picking her up.

Theodosia smiled and kissed his cheek as she got in, Thor in her lap barking happily at him. “Sorry.. She’s hyper as usual.”

“It’s fine.” He pet Thor and smiled at Theodosia before driving her back to his house. When they got there, he led her to the front door and allowed her to put Thor on the floor inside, watching her zip around and explore the new area. “Have you eaten breakfast?” he asked Theodosia.

“Actually, no.. Sorry…”

“Don’t be. I haven’t either.” He smiled and went to the kitchen, making pancakes. He oiled the pan and looked up a recipe for vegan pancakes, just to be safe, then made them while Theodosia watched from the living room.

To her, it was so sweet that he was so careful to take into consideration what she ate. Mark was the total opposite.. No, she couldn’t compare them like that. She heard Thor barking like crazy from the other room and got up to get her out of trouble, finding herself in what seemed to be a cat’s room. There was everything a cat would need and a few extra cat towers, a black and white cat perched on top of one of them. “Oh.. Sorry..” She smiled and got Thor out, shutting the door behind her.

“Theo?” Aaron asked as he looked around for her, finding her in the hallway. “There you are. Breakfast is ready.”

“Thank you. And I’m sorry for snooping, Thor was barking and I guess she was bothering your cat.”

“Its alright. And she was probably looking for some food.”

Theodosia looked at Thor and tutted, seeing cat food in the fur around her mouth. “Looks like she found it.. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’ll just feed him again.” He went into the room and fed his cat, coming back after a minute. “Here, lets go eat.” He showed her to the living room and sat with her, letting her get the pancakes that she wanted before getting his own. “It’s just me and my grandma around here, so we just eat here most of the time.”

“I get it.” She sat beside him and got her pancakes, then began eating. “Hey, these are pretty good.”

“Thank you.” He smiled and did the same.

A black and white blur raced out of the other room and buried his way behind Aaron.

“And here’s CC, out of his room.”

Theodosia smiled and pet his head. “Hey there, cutie. He’s so sweet.” She giggled as he purred. “And so calm compared to Thor.”

Thor whined at the lack of attention and Theodosia lifted her into her lap, ruffling her fur.

“Tho’s a lovable jerk. It’s like she was born with rockets instead of legs.”

Proving her point, the Pomeranian jumped out of Theodosia’s lap and began sniffing around the floor again.

She sighed. “There she goes again.” She turned back to CC and pet his head and neck again, cooing at him.

Aaron smiled as he watched. His cat was adoring the attention, even rolling onto his back so she could pet his belly.

Theodosia was in love with the cat. He was so calm and gentle, and obviously used to being pampered and spoiled, though she had a feeling that Aaron would deny it.

CC’s attention was peaked and he rolled back onto his stomach the second he heard Thor squeaking his favorite toy, an old plush mouse. It was the first toy Aaron ever got him. He growled and poised to attack, but stopped when Aaron put a hand on his back.

“No, CC.”

He let out a displeased mewl, but listened.

Aaron got up and grabbed another toy, a squeaking fish that CC never seemed to like, and squeaked it.

All it took was that to switch Thor’s attention from the mouse to the fish. Thor took it from Aaron’s hand and began running around and squeaking it.

Aaron took the mouse back to CC’s room and shut the door behind him.

“He’s’ such a well behaved cat. Aren’t cats meant to be super disobedient? The kings of their castles?” Theodosia asked. “I mean, I’ve tried teaching Thor a few tricks, but… Thor, sit.”

Thor dropped the toy that she had in her mouth… And rolled over.

“No, sit.”

She laid down and tilted her head.

“She knows its a command, but she doesn’t know which one…”

“Oh.. Well, CC isn’t all that obedient sometimes. CC, sit.”

The cat glared at him, wondering who he thought he was talking to.

Theodosia giggled and finished her pancakes. “Hey, did you want to take a trip to Jefferson Hall to see what we’re working with? Or maybe drop by Mulligan’s to look at some costumes? I heard from Laf that they’re in on this.”

“That sounds good. I don’t see why we can’t do both.” He got up and took her plate to the sink for her.

“Okay.” Theodosia smiled and waited as Aaron got his things and let CC escape to the safety of his cat towers.

“Let’s go, then.” Aaron walked out with Theodosia and opened the car door before getting in himself and driving to Jefferson Hall.

John sighed and rested his head on the table that he was told to sit behind, hoping that whatever officer was behind the one way mirror would finally send someone in. His phone and backpack had gotten taken away before they locked him in there, so there was little for him to do there.

After a few minutes, someone was finally sent in. The officer was a bit older, probably about George’s age, and had a kind face. He was definitely someone who dealt with a lot of kids. “Sorry for the time, some people don’t take these things seriously. I’m sure you know about this Laurens Pamphlet that’s going around. Some people don’t believe in it, but we’re here to see about that.”

“Oh, that.. I know, my boyfriend wrote it.. I didn’t know a thing about it until it was published.”

“You’re not in any trouble because of it. We just want to ask you a few things about it.”

“Alright. Go ahead.”

The officer nodded and opened a folder, looking through a few pieces of paper. “Well, first, there’s the obvious problem.. There were some really disturbing accounts of violence in there… Punching, kicking, even strangling..”

“It’s all exaggerated. None of that happened to me.”

He nodded and took down a few notes. “I’m obligated to ask if you’re wearing make up of any kind? If you’re hiding any bruises?”

“I am, but that’s not how I got them.”

“Can you explain to me how you did, then? And can I see this bruising?”

“I’d prefer not to. I know it looks suspicious with that pamphlet out and I wouldn’t have a way to cover it up when I go back to school.”

“I understand. So, how did it happen?”

“Well, part of what was written is true. My father is homophobic, as he’s often expressed, and he does hate me because of it. So, he doesn’t like having me anywhere around the house.”

“Where do you live?”

“In an apartment on my own. I more than get by with the money I make selling art. Maybe you’ve heard of it?..”

“I’m not an art person, but I don’t doubt that you are good. But did you know that legally, you’d have to be 18 to live on your own?”

John gave him a look of surprise. “Really? I didn’t know. I haven’t heard this from anyone else.”

“Right. Would you feel endangered being placed back with your father?”

“If I did, I wouldn’t leave my four siblings anywhere near him, would I? You read for yourself the kind of bond I have with them. I wouldn’t feel endangered, but I would feel annoyed, targeted, picked on. I’ve been able to live on my own for all this time and I’m going to be 18 in a few months. I don’t see the problem. Not only that, but what about when I go to college? Will I have another of these talks when I live on my own because I’m a few months younger than most?”

The officer raised an eyebrow and eyes John suspiciously. “You seem awfully defensive for someone who wouldn’t feel endangered.”

“You’ve dealt with other kids, haven’t you?.. No doubt with someone whose parents didn’t approve of their identity?”

“Yes I have. Mostly younger kids who we put into foster care. But, someone your age, I guess I see your point. We can let this one slide. Now, about those bruises? And scars, if I remember correctly?”

“What can I say? I was a clumsy kid. I only have the marks to prove it.”

“And the bruises?”

“Another part of the pamphlet that was true. My little sister came to visit me at school because she misses me. She’s just a kid and I don’t like talking to her or her brothers about what goes on between me and my father as far as his homophobia. My father got there and told me he had to speak to me. I thought he might change his views or let them see me, so I stayed. When he came back, he argued with me, telling me that I was going to poison their minds if I stayed near them or something, and I argued back. Eventually, he stormed up to his office and I followed, still defending myself. It was a while before we just stopped arguing and I stormed out. On my way, I fell down the stairs. That’s what I told Alexander, but I guess he didn’t believe me.”

“I’ll have to talk to him about this, then..”

John shook his head. “No, it wasn’t his fault. I can see where he got that story from. I was hurt and he was angry and he wanted my father to suffer for it.”

The officer nodded and went through the papers, checking to see if everything checked out. “Alright.. If you could make some sort of statement saying that this was all untrue, that would be the end of this.”

“Thank you.” John was given his things back and allowed to go home, posting on Facebook. [Hey, just so y'all know, that Laurens Pamphlet that’s going around is not true. My father never laid a hand on me.]

Alexander frowned as he saw the post. He couldn’t stop John from telling this lie. He’d have to trust him and let him make his own decisions on this, right?


	48. Chapter 48

When the pair arrived at Jefferson Hall, Theodosia’s jaw dropped at what she saw. “Woah… This place is amazing.. Just how loaded are the Jeffersons?”

“I have no idea and I’m almost afraid to find out.” Aaron parked his car and got out, going around and opening the door for Theodosia before walking with her to the entrance. He used the key that Thomas had given him and went inside, telling the few people working what they were there for as they went to the main hall.

“Wow.. Well, this definitely fits the Disney theme,” Theodosia chuckled as she looked around the hall. “This is perfect.” She made her way to a corner and began sketching out the area as Aaron looked around the hall. She sketched out the hall once as it was, then again with decorations, just to be able to see the difference. Once she was done with that, she moved towards the outer hall way, asking the employees if they’d be able to decorate that as well. They assured her that it’d be fine and she did the same for there as well as the entrance before going back to Aaron. “Hey.. Sorry for taking so much time..”

“No, it’s fine. Everyone has their own processes.” He smiled.

“Thanks..” She returned the smile. “I’m ready. Did you want to do anything else while we were here?”

“No. Why don’t we go to Mulligan’s while we’re out?”

“That sounds great.” She followed him to his car and he drove them to the shop. “So, who did you want to go as? Um.. Did you want to go dressed to match?”

He smiled. “I hadn’t thought much about it, but that sounds nice.”

“Cool! What’s your favorite Disney movie?”

“Well, I’m not much of a Disney fan… I guess the Little Mermaid?”

“Yeah, I like that one too. You could be Eric and I could be Ariel.”

He nodded and smiled. When they got to the shop, Hugh was jolted awake by the door and smiled at the two.

“What can I do for you today?”

“We’re friends with Lafayette and we heard that you guys know about a Disney dance that we’re holding next week?”

He thought for a moment. “Let me ask my wife.” He got up and walked towards the back. Within a minute, Sarah appeared, just as bright as ever.

“Hi! Laffy told me all about the dance and I guess I forgot to tell Hugh here. I can help you two.”

Aaron smiled. “Thank you. We were thinking maybe something like Little Mermaid?.. Ariel for her, of course, and I could be Eric?”

“That sounds lovely! Come on, I’m sure we could find something lovely for you, dear.”

Theodosia didn’t have much time to react before Sarah dragged her off.

Hugh chuckled and shook his head. “You’ll have to excuse my wife. Your girlfriend will be returned safe and sound, I assure you.”

Aaron nodded and smiled at the thought of someone thinking that Theodosia was his girlfriend. He wasn’t sure how exactly to correct him, so he stayed quiet, allowing Theodosia to do that if she so desired to.

Hugh took him to the area of guys outfits and got him an Eric costume. He tried it on and made sure it fit, then changed back into his own clothes and went to Hugh, just as Theodosia was being forced out of the back.

“I’m not sure about-”

“Oh, hush, dear, you look lovely!”

“But I-”

“Come show off how pretty you look!” And pretty she was. Sarah tugged Theodosia out from the back, revealing her outfit.

She blushed as she stood in a purple, spaghetti strap crop top and an emerald skirt that was short in the front and long in the back, trailing into a fish tail like parting. The fact that it was seemingly made out of sequins made it look just like scales.

Aaron caught himself staring as she came out. As soon as he realized it, he stopped and blushed. “You look beautiful, Theodosia. Anyone with eyes can see it.”

Theodosia felt her brain shut down and reboot. Aaron had just called her beautiful.

Sarah and Hugh gave each other a knowing look.

“We have some more outfits, if you want to try them.”

“N-No, it’s okay. I like this one.”

“Great! You can go change back into your own clothes, then.”

Theodosia disappeared back to wherever Sarah had dragged her and changed back into her clothes.

In the meantime, Aaron paid for both of their costumes.

Theodosia came back just as Hugh gave Aaron his receipt and his own costume.

“Are you ready to go? I already paid for both of our costumes.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to pay for mine, silly.. I’ll pay you back later.”

“No, there’s no need. Don’t worry about it.” He smiled.

“If you say so..” Theodosia smiled shyly and followed him out and to his car, letting him drive them back to his house.

John got back to school just in time for lunch, sitting with his friends and smiling. “Hey guys. Where’s Alex?”

“Library with Jefferson. Something about a dance for the debate club,” Hercules shrugged.

“Oh, is that what he’s meeting with him about? He told me about the dance and told me it was for first years, mainly. I guess the debate society is hosting it.” He grabbed his food and began eating.

“Where were you this morning, anyways? Alexander said you got called to the office.”

“Police station.. I got questioned about the Laurens Pamphlet.”

“So, that’s why you made that post.. You lied?..” Lafayette asked quietly.

John nodded. “What was I supposed to do? Let my siblings get separated in foster care? They have too huge of a bond for that… I can’t let that happen to them and I know he’d never hurt them, even if they were gay..”

Lafayette nodded slowly and continued eating. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that, Henry really should’ve suffered for everything that he’d done, but he trusted John’s choice.

Hercules wasn’t so on board with it. John had gotten beaten by his father and he was going to let him get away with it? He couldn’t see why John and Lafayette were both okay with any of what was happening. But, like Lafayette, he knew that this was ultimately John’s choice and trusted his decision.

John messaged Thomas as he ate. [Do not lay a hand on Alexander.]

Thomas replied quickly once he saw who the text was from. [Only because you asked xx]

He smiled a bit and finished eating, then went to class once the bell rang.

After a few hours of going over decorating plans and recruiting a few people via Facebook, Theodosia and Aaron were interrupted by the door opening and an older woman coming through.

“Oh, hello there. Aaron told me he’d be spending the say with one of his friends. You must be Theodosia. I’m Aaron’s grandmother, Sarah or Ms Pierpont, whichever you prefer.”

Theodosia stood up as she came over and shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Ms Pierpont. I see where Aaron gets his polite nature from.”

She smiled and nodded. “I think he was just born that way. But I imagine that it’s easier around you, as highly as he speaks of you.”

“Grandma!” Aaron grumbled.

Theodosia giggled and checked the time. “I should get going.. I have drama.” She turned to Aaron. “You’re welcome to join.”

Before Aaron could respond, his grandmother continued picking on him. “You should join her, Aaron. It isn’t like you have much else to do besides spoil your cat.”

“I do not spoil CC. And I was going to agree to join her.”

Theodosia giggled again. “My Pomeranian is asleep in his room.. She’s a bit hyper.. I’m sorry if she wakes up and bothers you.”

“I may be getting old, but I can handle a dog. You two go on.” She smiled and waved them off, following them to the door before shutting it behind them.

“Sorry about my grandma.. I think she’s just glad I’m making more friends.”

“No, it’s fine. Your grandmother was a lovely lady.”

Aaron smiled and held the door open for her, as usual, before getting in on the other side and driving them to the school.

When they got there, Theodosia was just in time to see her friends. “Hey, girls!”

They smiled and hugged her. “Hi, Theo!”

Martha smiled as she pulled away. “We’re getting fitted for costumes! Come on!” She pulled her towards the drama room, where all of the girls were being fitted.

Frances smiled and pulled Aaron towards the stage, where the boys were getting fitted. “Maybe you can help me with something.” She showed him Thomas and Lafayette who were arguing in the corner.

“France has OKAY drinks… but you can’t beat wine made hot-and-warm in good old downtown Virginia…”

Lafayette rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. When was the last time you heard someone talking about a good Virginian wine. It’s always French. Maybe even Californian. But never Virginian.”

“They’ve been at this for an hour,” Frances sighed.

“That’s because you can find French wine at any corner store you pass. Virginian wine is only for the very classy.”

“And by that, of course, you mean that Virginia only creates not even one truly good bottle a year. French wine is widely sold because it has a reputation for greatness.”

Thomas opened his mouth to retort when the rest of the girls flooded in. “Ah, Theodosia, you come from a wealthy family, right? You must know. What’s better? French wine or Virginian wine?”

“Actually.. I prefer Sherry.. So Spanish.”

Thomas tutted, but Lafayette smiled.

“At least her choice is respectable. European wine as a whole is better.”

“Aaron, what do you think?” Thomas asked.

“In all honesty? It doesn’t matter. Most wine professionals can’t tell the difference between an expensive and a cheap wine. But, considering the fact that France doesn’t have to import grapes for the majority of its wine production, I’m going to have to go with French.” He shrugged. “Virginian wine is only expensive because it’s rare.”

Thomas tutted. “Y'all wouldn’t know a good wine if you drowned in it.”

“Now that you’re done arguing, do you think you can put your shirts on and we can get some rehearsal done?”

“Laf sure cast you right,” Thomas remarked as he and Laf did just that.

“Excuse me?”

“Frankie, practice now, fight later,” Theodosia said, though she completely changed her mind the next time the next time Thomas opened his mouth.

“Someone’s on her period.”

The girls, Lafayette, and Aaron all gasped in sync.

Aaron stepped forward and put a hand on Frances’s shoulder. “Kick his ass.”

He and the others watched as Frances began storming towards Thomas. “First of all, it’s kind of hard to have a period when I’m trans! Second, how dare you, you piece of flaming garbage! I can’t believe how disrespectful and inconsiderate-” She continued ranting and marching towards him.

Thomas, though almost a foot taller than her, began backing away as she got closer and picked up speed, only for her to do the same. It wasn’t long before she was full on chasing him around the auditorium.

As satisfying as it was to watch, they did need to get some practice done. And Lafayette was the only one who was not only strong enough to stop Thomas from running, but also highly unlikely to be killed by Frances for taking mercy on him. He got up and stepped into Thomas’s path, grabbing his arm and standing between him and Frances.

“Sorry. We need him for practice.”

She tutted. “He’s lucky he’s a good actor.”

“I’m just saying I’d be pretty upset if I was bleeding out of my- Ow!” he exclaimed as Lafayette flicked his forehead.

“Unless you are suicidal, I suggest that you shut up. Unless you’ve experienced the hell that I’ve heard a period can be, you have no right to speak.”

Thomas shut up and pouted like a child, letting Lafayette drag him away from Frances and her murderous glare.

“Well,” Eacker began. “Now that we’re all settled, why don’t we get to work today on Dead Girl Walking. The reprise, that is.”

Lafayette almost had a heart attack at first.

“Theodosia, you and the other students can start with your part, then Lafayette, you, Thomas, and Alison can work on yours. Then we can put the two together.”

Everyone got in place for their respective roles and the music began, the students playing their parts. Theodosia, as a former cheerleader herself, did especially well, adding a few flips to her dimple choreography routine.

Eacker was far from opposed to the change, smiling and nodding in approval as they finished. “That was great! Theodosia, maybe add a few more of those flips next time?”

“Yes sir.” She smiled. She hopped off of the stage and Lafayette climbed up, taking a deep breath and getting into character as the music started.

“I wanted someone strong who could protect me. I let his anger fester and infect me. His solution is a lie. No one here deserves to die. Except for me and the monster I created. Yeah! Yeah! Heads up, J.D., I’m a dead girl walking!” He started walking in a giant circle across the stage and back. “Can’t hide from me, I’m a dead girl walking! And there’s your final bell.” He pointed up in the direction of the sound of the bell. “It’s one more dance and then farewell. Cheek to cheek in hell with a dead girl walkin’!” He started passed the girl playing Ms Fleming, only for her to reach out and tap his shoulder. He turned to her, clearly annoyed by her wasting his time.

“Veronica! Jason Dean told me you’d just committed suicide!”

Lafayette simply shrugged. “Yeah, well, he’s wrong about a lot of things.”

“I threw together a lovely tribute, especially considering the short notice…”

Lafayette rolled his eyes a bit before asking. “Ms. Fleming, what’s under the gym?”

“The boiler room.”

He snapped his fingers and turned to walk off. “That’s it!”

She grabbed his shoulder to stop him from walking off. “Veronica, what’s going on?”

He pulled her hand off of his shoulder. “Got no time to talk, I’m a dead girl walking!” He walked over to where Thomas was waiting, the other students singing their part in the background, his stride speeding up as the song began to intensify. “Step away from the bomb.” He demanded, completely serious and completely in character.

Everyone was on their seats as Lafayette performed, their attention at his command.

And then Thomas got to his feet, his trademark smirk on his face. “And here I was thinking you’d lost your taste for feigned suicides.” He shrugged, then pointed behind him. “Oh, and this little thing? I’d hardly call this a bomb… this is just to set off the pack of thermals under the gym- now those… are bombs.” He took a few steps towards Lafayette, looking more like a villain now than he ever had whilst tormenting poor Alexander. “People are going to see the ashes of Westerburg High School and they’re going to think ‘There’s a school that self destructed not because society doesn’t care, but because that school WAS society!” There was something of a dangerous glare in his eyes, now mere centimeters from Lafayette’s face. “The only place that Heathers and Marthas can get along is in heaven!”

Lafayette let his expression soften. “I wish your mom had been a little stronger… I wish she stayed around a little longer…” He grabbed Thomas’s hands and worked the prop gun out of it. “I wish your dad were good! I wish grown-ups understood! I wish we’d met before they convinced you life is war! I wish you’d come with me..” He pulled the gun away only for Thomas to grab his hands.

“I wish I had more TNT,” he hissed.

The pair began to try and wrestle the prop away from each other as a few of the other students sang the background vocals and Thomas tried to see if he could make Lafayette laugh mid performance.

“Virginian wine is better,” he whispered as the gunshot rang before saying his next line out loud. “Is this good for you? Because it kind of sucked for me.” He dropped to the ground and the song ended.

Lafayette resisted the urge to laugh, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t crack the tiniest of smiles.

The class applauded them just as they had the group before and Thomas and Lafayette hopped off of the stage and grabbed their things, since their time was already up. Frances and Martha ran up to Lafayette while Theodosia stuck with Aaron, all discussing their plans for the sleepover that night.


	49. Chapter 49

Aaron drove Theodosia back to his house to get his things and their pets. Theodosia had been half expecting Aaron's grandmother to complain at least a bit about Thor's behavior, but was easily shocked by what had really happened. She found Thor panting happily at Ms Pierpont's feet as she sat on the couch. 

"Hi.. Thor wasn't a problem was she?.." 

"Oh, of course not. She was a bit hyper when she woke up, just barking at my feet, but nothing too crazy. I gave her a little food and she's just been calm ever since. You're welcome to bring her over again anytime. I even made her a little sweater." 

Thor ran around Theodosia's feet, showing off her knew pink sweater. 

"Oh, she looks precious. You didn't have to.."

"Oh, hush, I know I didn't have to, but it was no trouble. I wanted to." She smiled.

Theodosia nodded and picked her up. "Either way, thank you for watching her. I guess she can be good when she wants to be." 

Aaron came back with a bag and CC. "I'm ready to go. Are you, Theodosia?"

"Yeah. I was just thanking your grandmother for this nice sweater she made for Thor."

He smiled. "She looks cute."

"Go on, kids. I'll see you tomorrow, Aaron. And Theodosia, you're welcome over anytime you want."

"Thank you. I appreciate the offer." She smiled and followed Aaron out. She got in the car and he drove them to her house. 

Martha, Frances, and Lafayette had a slightly different trip. After going to the store to gather snacks, they went to both girls' houses for their stuff before going to Lafayette's for his. Of course, he also brought Rosie, letting Martha and Frances play with her.

They fawned over her, absolutely adoring the tiny kitten, and she more than adored their attention. She purred under their touch and quickly took to them, but preferred to be with her mother as always. She squirmed from their grip and climbed into the front seat, resting in Lafayette's lap. 

"Aw, she knows who her parent is," Frances teased. 

Lafayette chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Yes and there's nothing wrong with that."

"Didn't say there was." 

When they got to Theodosia's house, Aaron and Theodosia were already inside, setting out snacks and a few drinks for everyone. Thor was, for once, distracted from the food by CC, who was kept safe by Aaron as he held him.

When the others came in, Theodosia grabbed Thor to make sure she wouldn't torment Lafayette or, god forbid, his little kitten, so Aaron let CC down. 

The cat padded over to Lafayette and jumped onto the couch where he sat, looking curiously up at Rosie as she rested in his arms.

Lafayette smiled. "Hello, there." He pet his head, then put Rosie down, letting CC sniff her. 

He decided he liked her and sat beside her, keeping a watchful eye on Thor.

"Aw, he's like a second father to her."

"I thought you were her mother," Frances teased again.

"I am. Her first father is my boyfriend, Hercules."

Frances and Martha gasped. 

"Oh boy.." Theodosia chuckled.

"Hercules as in Hercules Mulligan?" Martha asked.

"The very same." Lafayette smiled. 

"Oh my god," Frances sighed dreamily. "He's so hot. Like I won't steal him, but damn."

Martha rolled her eyes. "I think he's more cute than hot. And I hear he's really good at fashion designing. And those arms," she sighed. "I bet he's a great hugger."

"You have to tell us all about him! God, you're so lucky!"

Lafayette couldn't stop himself from feeling the faintest pang of jealousy, but these were just giggling first year and he'd been Herc's best friend for years, so he stopped himself from feeling threatened. "I can't say either of you are wrong. He's great at fashion and very much a great hugger. I am lucky to be with him." He blushed lightly. "He treats me like royalty and he's my best friend.. He's perfect for me.." He blushed a bit more and pulled out his phone, pulling up a few pictures of Herc's designs, both on mannequins and on himself. "These are some of his works. This last one isn't nearly finished, but I know it'll be great when it is."

"Oh, wow, you're so pretty. Look, Theo." 

Theodosia went over and looked at the pictures with them. "Wow, you are probably one of the prettiest people I've ever seen." 

Thor took the opportunity to sniff the two cats curiously until CC batted her nose, making her sneeze. 

Theodosia winced a bit as she saw that and stood back up. Thor was a handful, but she was still her baby..

"Sorry.. That's about the worst he does. He doesn't scratch," Aaron reassured her. 

"It's fine. No harm done." Theodosia smiled. "Why don't we make some cupcakes while these three fawn over Lafayette's boyfriend?"

Aaron chuckled and nodded, following her into the kitchen. 

"I'm sorry about them... I know they can be a bit much at times."

"No need to apologize. They're just girls being girls. And Lafayette." He chuckled and they both put on an apron, plain black for Aaron and pink with strawberries for Theodosia. She had Aaron wondering how someone could keep getting cuter. 

"Thank you.. I know I keep apologizing, but... Well, you're so pleasant.. And Mark.. He wasn't... He always made sure he knew he thought I was below him... And I know you're not like him, but... I can't help but compare.."

"You don't need to apologize. I understand. I know what it's like when people get in your mind, trust me."

She nodded a bit. "I just hate that it's keeping me from being in a proper relationship with someone else, but Mark was all... Everything was hickies and tongues with him.. I can't handle any of that anymore.."

"That's totally fine with me. I'm not interested in any of that stuff. I'm asexual."

She looked at him with slight disbelief, though it seemed to stem from relief. "Oh, god, that's great! I mean.. Sorry, that came out wrong. I mean that I really hate that kind of stuff now..."

"Don't worry about it, I know what you meant. And I hope you know that I wouldn't expect anything of you even if I wasn't. No decent person would."

She smiled and began mixing a cupcake batter while Aaron worked on a frosting mix. "Thanks.. I know.. I just need some time to adjust..."

"I completely understand." He smiled and began whisking together the ingredients.

"You know... I feel like the more I learn about you, the more I like you.."

He blushed and put the frosting in the fridge to cool. "Well.. Then you should know how I got Mark's phone from his locker.."

"What, did you pick the locker or something?" she asked, clearly joking. Aaron seemed like too much of a gentleman to know how to do something like that. 

"Actually.. I did..."

She looked up at him in shock for a second before turning away. "O-Oh.. Um.. I didn't mean to offend you."

"No, I see how that could surprise someone, coming from me." He put the frosting in the fridge to keep cool and began putting cupcake liners in the pan. "And I know how to do that because kids loved picking on me in middle school... You know, stealing and hiding my clothes and stuff like that.. Because I'm trans..."

"Ugh," Frances groaned. "All of the cute guys are either taken, gay, or imaginary." She rolled her eyes. 

Martha laughed. "I heard that."

"Oh, hush. We all know you're in love with George King."

"Ew!" came Martha's almost immediate reaction. "No! He's a pompous pain in the neck!" She pulled up a picture on her phone and showed Lafayette. "See? You can tell just by looking at him!"

Lafayette grinned. "Yes, that's why you happen to have a picture of him. Not because you think he's dreamy," he said in an exaggerated voice, draping his hand over his forehead. 

"Ew! He's disgusting!"

Frances snickered. 

"Alright, wise ass, who are you into?"

She shrugged. "I don't really have the time for that kind of stuff."

"Oh, come on."

"I'm serious! Transition ain't easy, you know?" she turned to Lafayette. "Hey, how do you wear dresses so well? I struggle with shorts, much less skirts."

He had to think for a second before responding. "Just own it, I guess. Wear whatever you like. I know some girls don't like wearing skirts or dresses, so you can't force yourself just because you want to be a 'real girl'. You're a real girl as you are."

She nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Laf.. I didn't think about it that way."

"Of course." He hesitated before asking. "How did you realize you were trans?.. I've been doing some research and I think I may be trans, too.. Not like a trans girl, but.. I'm not sure.."

Frances looked to be deep in thought. "Well... There wasn't a specific moment. It was more of a journey. Like, first of all, everyone's transition is going to be different. But, I don't know.. I was masculine when I was little. You know, sports and mud and all that. But then time went on and I kind of just.. switched over. It began when I met Theo in junior high. She was just really pretty and sweet and I thought I liked her.. So I tried impressing her and all that and I got closer to her and I realized that I didn't like her. I admired her. And I wanted to be like her. And when I met Martha, those feelings just got stronger. I talked to my folks and they were cool about it. I've been on estrogen for a little bit now and I feel so much better. I am so glad my voice hadn't dropped yet.." She chuckled. "How else would I be a great Heather Chandler?"

Lafayette smiled at that. "I see.. I'll tell you my story, since you told me yours.. Is that alright?"

"Of course. I think I'd actually feel kind of better..."

He nodded. "Well.. I've always had my feminine traits. Like, since I was a kid, I was a balance of feminine and masculine traits and I used to get picked on all the time. People called me tranny and fag, the usual stuff, and I always knew I liked boys, so I thought it was just that. Then I met John and I learned better. But I never really felt trans until fairly recently. I just have these time, hours or days, where my body just doesn't feel right... And, now, for example, I feel like a boy. But not really?.. And other times, I just don't feel like one at all, but I don't feel like a girl either. And sometimes, I'm just a boy.."

She nodded. "I don't know how to describe that, but I know that you're not weird for that. It's like agender people. They weren't a 'thing' until recently, but they always existed. I know there's other people like you." 

"Thank you.." He smiled. "Why don't we lighten the mood with something fun? Makeovers, maybe?"

"I'll take you up on that." Frances smiled and moved to sit in front of him, cleaning off what little makeup she usually wore with a wipe. "Hey.. So do you think Herc would be okay with you being trans? Because he seems like a really sweet guy, don't get me wrong, but people can be funny.."

Lafayette paused for a second before starting on her makeup. "I don't know.. Like.. He's pansexual, like me, and he already treats me kind of like a girl sometimes, but.. You're right.. People can be funny.."

There was no hiding the surprise on Theodosia's face, but she quickly shook it off. "Sorry, I just.. I didn't know. I'm not upset or anything. I mean, you're still you.."

Aaron smiled. "Thank you for being so understanding. After what happened back then.. I didn't really want to tell anyone anymore.."

"Well, those people were jerks." She poured the cupcake batter into the pan before putting it in the oven.

Thor bounced out of the room and came back with a squeaky bone, squeaking it as loud as she could for Aaron.

"Ah, no, Pomby! Not- wait.." She sighed and shook her head, smiling a bit. "Go nuts."

She seemed to do just that, sitting at Aaron's feet and squeaking it even more for him before dropping it and wagging her tail at rocket speed. 

Aaron smiled and grabbed the toy, squeaking it and holding it above her head, just out of reach.

Theodosia's heart soared as she watched usually reserved, usually calm Aaron playing with her little dog. 

"She's so sweet.." Aaron chuckled. 

"Not usually... She's taken to you so quickly, though. Usually, she barks at people for the longest time before warming up.." She frowned a bit. "She wouldn't stop barking at Mark until he.. He kicked her..."

"That's awful.." 

"I should've done something to get out of there sooner.. I'm such a wimp.."

Aaron stood up. "Theodosia, you are not a wimp. He was blackmailing you with those pictures and someone his size is threatening to anyone..." He gently took her hand and kissed it. "Don't blame yourself with his wrongdoings.."

She sighed. "You risked so much for me.. Mark never risked so much as a second in the rain.. No other guy really has... I'd much rather be with you, even if you didn't take those crazy risks.." She smiled before leaning up and pecking Aaron's lips. 

Now it was his turn to shut down and reboot. "I've never kissed anyone before," was the only thing he could get himself to say.

Theodosia's eyes went wide. "I'm sorry! I should've asked.. I just.. Sorry.."

"Don't be.. I liked it. It was just unexpected.." He smiled.

"Oh.. Phew," she giggled. "Why don't we just take out these cupcakes and get ready to decorate them?"

Frances grabbed Lafayette's hand, knowing she was responsible for the worry in his expression. "Hey.. I didn't mean to put that thought in your head. I'm sorry. You and Herc really are cute together. I'm sure he'd be okay with it."

"It'd be a dick move if he didn't," Martha added, gently petting both cats. "Do you think Herc is THE one?"

"Well, they are dating."

"Nothing wrong with messing around," Martha responded before turning back to Lafayette. "Like, can you see yourself marrying him and having a family and stuff?"

Lafayette nodded and smiled. "Yeah.. I'd love to marry him someday.. We have talked about it a bit. We see his parents, still acting like love struck teens after years of marriage and we really hope we can be like that.." He sighed. "And I guess that's what makes me so nervous about this.. We've been friends since I moved here, since before I could speak English."

"Well, then he must be at least a bit aware of this, then. He makes you dresses, too. And he's pan, so it's not like that'll have anything to do with it." 

Frances nodded. "Yeah! And what's not to love about you? You're hot, you can sing and act and dance and if Hercules is anywhere near as nice as you, he'll be cool with it."

"You're coming to the dance on Friday, right? Maybe you can do a couple's costume."

Lafayette smiled. "Actually, he didn't give me much of a choice.. He said he's already making me something.. You girls are right. I'm being silly worrying about this."

Frances smiled. "There you go. Me and Marti are doing Anna and Else because we're forever alone. Even though, I guess, Anna had a prince." She shrugged and checked her phone. "Do you think he'd add me on Facebook if I asked?.."

"Oh my god, Frankie, you're so nosy!"

Lafayette chuckled and pet Rosie as she squirmed away from Martha and to his lap. "I think he would." He picked up his kitten. "Do you want to see Hercules, Rosie?"

"Meeeooowww!" Rosie responded as she stretched a paw forward to Lafayette's nose, making him giggle.

"Aw, even his header is of you two," Frances pointed out. "... Do you know any other hot, available seniors?"

"Besides Thomas Jefferson, no, sorry." He smiled and sent a selfie with himself and Rosie to Hercules on Snapchat with the caption [Baby's first sleepover! <3 We miss you <3]

Frances tutted and turned to her phone. "All hot guys are taken."

Hercules replied in record speed with a selfie of himself with two pins between his teeth as he smiled. [Hey cutie! <3 Glad you're having fun! xx] The next picture to come through was of Hercules pulling a cheeky smile with the dog filter on top. [Miss you 2 <3 Hope our baby's behaving! Love you xxx]

Lafayette sent back a picture of Rosie. [She's behaving just fine <3] He showed Rosie Herc's selfie, then quickly switched to record her reaction to it. [She misses you <3] 

Rosie meowed and pawed at the screen, not quite grasping the fact that it wasn't the real Hercules in front of her. She ended up switching through the filters and put the dog filter over herself as the recording was ending. 

Hercules replied with a picture of a few Rosie sized cutouts for a dress. [Oh my god, I need to be a better father xx]

Frances's attention was piqued as Rosie began making noise and she looked over, smiling at Laf's phone. "Hey, that's cute. When I get a boyfriend, I'm going to make him send me snaps like that."

"Make him?" Martha asked. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

"Threats and violence, of course."

"And you wonder why you're single."

Lafayette chuckled and sent back a picture of himself kissing the top of Rosie's head. [You're a plenty good father! I just need to being her to see you more often <3] "Most people don't take to kindly to threats and violence. If you take that route, you might end up with a broken nose like a certain person we know."

"At least I don't make period jokes," Frances pointed out, rolling her eyes. 

Another Snap came through from a red-faced Hercules, his parents in the background as they waved at the camera. [My parents wanted to say hi...]

"You're dating a dork," Frances giggled. 

"Yes, but he's my dork." He smiled. 


	50. Chapter 50

Aaron brought out a tray of cupcakes. “We’re just finishing up with the decorating.”

“Thanks!”

“You’re the best!”

Aaron nodded and went back to the kitchen as the girls began eating the cupcakes.

Lafayette smiled and began getting up to join them before his phone rang, another Snapchat from Hercules coming through. He blushed as he saw a picture of shirtless Hercules lounging in his room, winking with a cheeky grin with the caption [Miss you xx]. His face was dark red and he was sure that he’d be flustered just if the girls noticed his reaction. Naturally, he had to get revenge. He covered the camera so the screen was black, as if he was hiding, with the simple caption [THE GIRLS SAW THAT PICTURE OVER MY SHOULDER, HERC]

[LAF WHY] Hercules sent a panicked selfie.

[Kidding <3] He sent back a selfie with a cheeky grin.

[my poor heart can’t take this stress] He looked more than relieved. A minute later, he sent back another selfie, showing off more of his shirtless self as he laid in bed. [I suppose I can forgive you… ; )] Then another. [Honestly I feel so cuddly right now. why aren’t youu heerreeeee…?]

“Ew! Stop it!”

Lafayette practically jumped out of his skin as Martha cried out.

“George is so disgusting!”

Frances tutted. “Alright, you don’t like him. You’ll at least have a date with a red solo cup, just like me.” She rolled her eyes and caught a glimpse of Lafayette’s flustered face. “At least Lafayette will have a fun night. What did he say?”

Lafayette shook his head. “Nothing. He’s just being silly..” He sent back an almost casual looking selfie, a slight blush still visible. [You seem like you want a little bit more than just to cuddle with me ;*]

How could Hercules resist taking things further? [Me? Want more? Never… ; )] said the caption over Hercules’s selfie with him winging and sticking his tongue out cheekily. Soon after, he sent another topless picture, the dim light of the room catching every curve of Hercules’ muscles. [Have fun with the giiirrlllllsssss…! Hope you have a long hoodie ;* ;* ;*]

Lafayette blushed again, Frances grinning.

“He’s sending you something rude, isn’t he?”

“Ooh, scandalous!”

“Let us see!”

“What are you guys up to out here?” Theodosia asked as she and Aaron brought out the rest of the cupcakes, a few strawberry slices decorating the tops.

“Hercules is sending Lafayette something that’s making him blush and he won’t let us see!”

Lafayette rolled his eyes. [Yes, this hoodie that I stole from you is plenty long on me and I need that now, thanks to you <3] He sent a picture of the giggling girls. [Seriously, though, they’re getting curious. We can continue this later ;*] “It is none of your concern and I’m not letting you see.”

Aaron chuckled and decided to let the girls torture Lafayette without him. He got Rosie and CC and took them outside to Theodosia’s backyard.

[Not gonna lie, I’m looking forward to ‘later’, baby ;*

At least he decided to leave him alone.

“He’s sending you nudes, isn’t he?” Frances asked with a tut.

Theodosia shifted uncomfortably at that. She was still a bit too raw for jokes like that. “As long as you don’t save them..” she said dryly, attempting to brush it off. “Hey, do you think you can do my makeup next?”

“Of course I can. And he’s not sending me nudes, just shirtless selfies… That you’re not allowed to see.” He sat beside Frances on the floor and finished the makeup that he’d began. “You know, it was actually my friend John Laurens who taught me how to do makeup. He was trying to explain something about art to me and he figured I’d learn more easily if he used a metaphor that I’d get, like makeup. So we both kind of learned that way.” He finished with Frances after maybe fifteen minutes, keeping it simple and mainly natural, though a touch of light pink here and there added the soft femininity to Frances’s face that she struggled to grasp herself. “There you go.”

“John seems like a cool guy. Theo really seems to look up to him.” Frances looked at her reflection in a mirror and smiled. “Hey, I like this. Do you think you can do my makeup for the dance next Friday?”

“Of course. You’re up, Theodosia.” He smiled as she sat in front of him and began on her makeup. “Do you do art, too?”

“Oh.. Nothing nearly as great as John. He’s so talented!”

“I’m sure you’re great.”

“You should see her art, Laf! It’s splattery, but still so neat and really pretty.”

“Aw, Marti..” Theodosia muttered, flustered by the compliment. “It’s just for fun.. But I’d like to get better..”

“If Alex and Aaron wanted you to be involved in the art dance, I’m sure you’re great. Who are you going as, anyways? Those two are Anna and Else and I’m going with Herc as Cinderella and Prince Charming.”

“Me and Aaron are going to be Ariel and Eric.” She smiled softly.

Lafayette nodded. “I still want to see your art.” He took a bit longer than he had with Frances’s, adding quite a bit more detail to it. The end result seemed fit for a mermaid, shimmery blues and greens highlighting the details of her face and a few scale patterns were done around her face in silver.

Theodosia shrugged and looked in a mirror, gasping quietly. “Oh, Laf.. I love it! It’s so pretty! I can tell you learned this from John Laurens.”

Lafayette smiled. “I’m glad you like it..” He smiled and did Martha’s makeup, keeping it natural as he had with Frances.

Just as he finished up her makeup, they all turned towards the kitchen door as Aaron and the cats came back inside, Rosie yawning. CC picked her up by the scruff of her neck and carried her to the couch, laying around her protectively as he went to sleep.

Aaron smiled, then turned towards the girls, his face going bright red as he looked at Theodosia. “Oh… Wow.. You look amazing..”

“Now it’s your turn!”

“Over my dead body.”

Lafayette tutted. “I’m kidding. Now it’s my turn. The girls get to make me look pretty.”

Frances roller her eyes. “We can’t make you any prettier than you already are.”

“If I can make you three prettier than you already are, I think you can make me look a lot prettier than this.”

All three girls blushed. Lafayette was so soft and caring and he got along well with the girls so well, it was no wonder they liked having him around so much.

“Well, If anyone can do this, it’s definitely Theo,” Martha said, volunteering her friend for the project.

Theodosia shrugged. “Well, I can’t make you prettier, but I can do something.” She used his face as a canvas, similarly to how he’d done to her. A baby pink flower outlined in lavender and detailed with blue spread over his cheek, splatter marks and petals over his other cheek. It showed her distinct style of splatter marks and ink blots, coupled with a bit of eyeliner and a shimmery pink lipstick.

Lafayette smiled widely as he looked at his reflection, the flower moving perfectly with his face.

“I told you I couldn’t make you prettier, just add to how pretty you are..”

He rolled his eyes playfully. “Then I suppose I did all of your makeup for nothing? You all already face faces fit for princesses.”

Aaron smiled as Lafayette flirted- no, complimented, the three girls. As much as he seemed to fluster them, it was so casual, it was impossible to imagine him doing it for any reason other than to make them feel nice. He’d have to take notes to have the same effect on Theodosia.

Lafayette took a selfie and sent it to his friends with the caption [Theodosia made me a princess!]

John, who had been watching movies at the time, responded first. [Gorgeous! She’s a great artist!]

Hercules responded right after, taking another second after being blown away by his boyfriend’s looks. [Woaaahhhh, baby! You’re so precious, good god!] [God I’m in love with you <3]

Lafayette smiled and showed Theodosia. “See? It’s not just me.”

Theodosia felt a familiar flutter in her chest as she read the responses. With the exception of Hercules, who was reasonably more focused on his boyfriend, the reactions were so pure and sincere. Mark didn’t give anything a second thought if it wasn’t sexy or hot, but there was so much more to the world than guys like him… and Theodosia was overwhelmed by it. She hiccuped and her friends giggled a bit.

“Oh, geez..” Martha sighed.

“If only there was a handsome gentleman that could cuddle the sadness out of you..”

“But I’m not sa-” She was cut off by Frances nudging her and pointing towards Aaron. “Oh! Yes, cuddles, please..”

Aaron nodded and gladly sat beside her, wrapping his arms around her as she hiccuped and a few tears spilled.

“Oh, god, I’m going to mess up the makeup.. I’m so sorry, Laf..”

“Don’t be. A girl as talented and pretty as you should always be receiving this kind of attention,” Lafayette responded as he carefully wiped the remaining makeup from her face. Just as it came naturally to Thomas and Alexander to berate and belittle, Lafayette loved to flatter girls on things they didn’t necessarily get enough compliments on, only rarely using it to flirt and get his way.

Frances and Martha decided against teasing the couple for once and Lafayette sided with them, letting them be as soon as he finished cleaning the makeup. The pair looked too happy to disrupt. They passed the time by talking a bit more about the dance, talking about how the girls were going to sing for it and how a few kids from the school band were going to help them out. They even asked Lafayette if he wanted to sing a few songs. Of course, he accepted and even volunteered John to join them, too.

Still, they were teenage girls. They could only remain quiet for so long. So, as soon as Lafayette came out of the kitchen with a bottle of water, Martha and Frances gave each other a look, sharing the same idea.

“Spin the bottle?”

“Definitely. Theo?”

“Well, I don’t see why not. Aaron?”

“I don’t know..”

“What is this game? I’ve never heard of it.”

They all looked at Lafayette, surprise. Of all people, he’d never heard of that game?

“You spin the bottle and you’re supposed to kiss whoever it points at,” Aaron explained.

Lafayette smiled and finished the water. “I’ll play. It sounds fun.”

Martha took the first turn, spinning the empty water bottle. When it landed on Theodosia, the pair gave each other the quickest peck on the lips before giggling, though they seemed to lack humility that most people might have.

Theodosia smiled and took her turn next, the bottle pointing at Lafayette. “Looks like Herc’s got some competition..” she joked.

Lafayette smiled. It was just a little kiss, like in theater. He knew Herc wouldn’t mind. He moved forward a bit and pecked Theodosia’s lips, making her blush brightly.

Kissing one of her friends was one thing, but Lafayette was first off, gorgeous from head to toe, second, he’d been complimenting them all night, and third, he treated it so casually that it surprised her. Her face was bright red as Lafayette moved back into his place.

Aaron took his turn next, spinning the bottle and watching as it pointed at Frances. “Oh, geez,” he teased.

“Oh, shut up.” She leaned towards him and pecked his lips. “You should consider yourself lucky.”

“Were you Theodosia, I would.”

Lafayette smiled and took his turn, the bottle pointing at Martha. He gave her a quick peck and let Frances take her turn.

She landed on Martha and their kiss was so quick, it almost looked choreographed.

Then, Martha spun the bottle as if she hadn’t just had a turn, Frances stopping it.

“Why don’t we make this game more interesting? Little pecks are so boring. Three second kisses or you can let everyone know that you’re a wimp.”

“Frankie, you’re so mean,” Theodosia muttered.

“But I’m in,” Martha shrugged.

“I don’t see why not,” Lafayette agreed.

Theodosia and Aaron agreed after another minute and Frances let Martha spin the bottle again.

“Thank you.” She span it and it pointed at Lafayette, making her blush for the same reasons Theodosia had done the same.

Lafayette was hardly embarrassed by the game. “Would you mind if I kissed you?”

“No, go ahead.” Still, she blushed more as Lafayette did just that and returned the kiss.

“Does anyone else feel awkward watching this?..” Frances asked as Lafayette sat back down.

“I feel fine with this,” Martha sighed dreamily.

Theodosia spun next, landing on Lafayette, but before he could ask, she shook her head and spoke. “I’d prefer not to. It’s not you, I’m just being awkward..”

“That’s fine,” Lafayette nodded.

Aaron took his turn next, the bottle pointing right at Theodosia. He turned to her and smiled softly. “May I?..”

She nodded and leaned towards him, blushing brightly as they kissed. It wasn’t just a little peck, it was a full on kiss. She may have been shy about affection, but there was no one she’d rather be kissing than Aaron. He was so sweet and caring. When he pulled away, she was left in a state of shock, unused to such soft affection. In fact, she stayed in that state until Lafayette took his turn and landed on Aaron.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a little kiss,” Lafayette assured him as he leaned towards him and kissed him.

Aaron blushed and returned the kiss, blushing just as brightly as Theodosia was. Lafayette was a good kisser and he knew it.

He smiled as he pulled away and turned to Frances. “Your turn.”

She span the bottle and grinned as she landed on Lafayette, being the last person to test his kissing abilities. Unlike the others, though, she was the one who leaned towards him. She sat on her knees in front of him and grabbed his collar, pulling him into a kiss. It was a bit rougher than the rest of the game, but she still couldn’t help but blush at Lafayette’s abilities. “Like I said, all of the good guys are gay or taken,” she said as she got back into her seat.

“You didn’t have to torture poor Laf!” Martha said.

“I didn’t torture him, I blessed him.”

Theodosia rolled her eyes. “Maybe we should play something else… Or get some sleep? We do have school tomorrow and it’s almost one in the morning.”

They all agreed and changed into their pajamas, the girls doing so in Theodosia’s room and Lafayette changing in a bathroom. Aaron decided to wait, for the time being.

Martha and Frances slept in the guest room and Lafayette volunteered to take the couch, Rosie curling up on his stomach under the blanket that Theodosia let him borrow.

After changing, Aaron slept on a folding bed in Theodosia’s room beside her, Thor sleeping in Theodosia’s bed and CC sleeping with Aaron. For the first time that night, the house was quiet.

And it stayed that way in the morning for a while as Aaron woke up, making sure to do so before everybody else, and went to the kitchen, making breakfast for everybody.

Lafayette was awake right after him, stretching as he joined him and helped him cook.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. You know, it’s not good to bind your chest as long as you did.”

He looked up at him, eyes wide with shock. “What?”

“I accidentally peeked into your bag. It was beside mine and yours fell over and opened. I don’t care or anything.”

“Right..” He looked back at the food and finished it, helping Lafayette put it on plates for the girls.

As they did that, Martha came into the kitchen, seemingly troubled. “Laf, can I borrow you for a second?”

“Of course.”

She led him to the bathroom, to a crying Frances. Frances Kinloch, the girl who embodied a less evil Heather Chandler was crying like a lost child. And it didn’t take a genius to see why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help out a broke college student, you can ask for commissions at slashgashotaku@gmail.com. I also do free requests.


	51. Chapter 51

Theodosia, in her pajamas, sat beside Frances and attempted to comfort her. “It’s okay..”

“No it’s not,” she whimpered, looking at the mirror, at the fresh stubble on her cheeks.

“The estrogen just needs time to kick in.. It’ll happen in time.”

Martha looked apologetically at Lafayette. “I just figured you have your beard, so you could help her shave.. She gets super down about razor cuts..”

Lafayette nodded. “Of course I can help.” He went up to her and knelt down in front of her, cupping her cheek gently. “Hey there.. Here, let me help you with your stubble.”

Frances nodded and let Lafayette help her to her feet, still sniffling and whimpering softly.

“Shh.. It’s okay. We’ll make quick work of this.” He smiled and got some shaving cream, putting it on her face before shaving her stubble and cleaning her face off. “See? There we go.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll help you with this whenever you need, even if it means calling me every morning. Are you going to be okay?”

She nodded. “Thanks..”

Lafayette smiled and left the girls to speak on their own, going back to the kitchen and eating breakfast.

“Is everything okay?”

He nodded. “Everything will be fine.”

The girls came into the room a few minutes later, dressed and ready for school.

Frances came up behind Lafayette and hugged him gratefully. Had it been any other time, she would have followed up with a joke or a witty remark, but this time, it was too genuine for anything like that to follow.

They all thanked them for breakfast and sat down, eating.

“You know, I have a complaint about last night,” Martha began.

“Yeah, me too,” Frances added, slipping back into her usual personality.

“We both got woken up by a kitten pouncing on our faces.”

Lafayette laughed awkwardly. “I’m so sorry.. She can be so hyper..”

“No, don’t worry about it,” Martha assured him. “It was so cute.”

“Yeah, I woke up and she jumped back to Martha and just started patting her face.”

“It’s like she wouldn’t hurt a fly!”

Lafayette smiled. “Well, she can be mischievous when she wants to be..”

Theodosia smiled and looked at Aaron, who seemed a bit unresponsive. He was just pushing his food around his plate and hardly reacted when she kissed his cheek. It wasn’t like him… “Do you want to go get some air?”

He looked up at her after a second. “What?.. Oh, yeah, that sounds nice.” He smiled a bit and followed her outside, Thor and the cats following them out.

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly, holding his hand.

“It’s kind of awkward for me to talk about.. Um.. I had to get off of testosterone for a bit and.. It’s that time of month..” he muttered. “I just kind of get like this in the mornings, but I’m fine..”

“Oh.. Do you have what you need or do you need me to pick things up for you?” She didn’t imagine he was the type to get embarrassed about that sort of thing, but mixed with the gender dysphoria he was no doubt going through, it couldn’t have been a nice experience.

“No, I’m okay. I do appreciate it, though.”

“Of course. I’ve seen how it affects Frances.. You guys are really brave for going through this..”

He smiled and watched as Thor ran around in the wet grass before stopping by them and the cats, who were just rolling around, and shaking her fur dry.

“Thor! You’re so mean!” Theodosia whined, though she just panted happily.

CC and Rosie weren’t nearly as calm about it, both running to Aaron and trying to climb up his legs. CC wasn’t able to, but Rosie ran right up to his chest, her claws making him wince.

“Ow.. Ow..” He carefully pulled her off and held her, then picked up CC.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, her nails are just pretty sharp..”

“CC doesn’t do that to you? It looked like he was trying.”

He frowned a bit. “Well… I got him when he was only a kitten, but I wasn’t the first person to have him. His mother was a pet and almost as soon as his litter was born, they were declawed. Then, they put him in the shelter because he was the runt and nobody wanted to buy him. At least, that’s what I was told when I adopted him. It sucks, but he’s adjusted..”

Theodosia frowned. “That’s awful.. Poor thing..”

Aaron sighed. “Why don’t we get inside?”

Theodosia nodded and they both walked inside, Rosie jumping to Lafayette as she shivered.

“Aw, my poor dear. You’re so cold.” She buried herself in his hoodie pocket and he smiled. “Are you girls ready for school? I can drive you.”

Martha and Frances accepted the invitation, but Theodosia stayed behind with Aaron until he was ready. They went past his house to drop off CC, just as Lafayette had to drop off Rosie, before going to school.

As soon as he woke up, John took Susan back down to Maria and came back to Alexander making breakfast, smiling. They both got ready and ate before heading to school, walking hand in hand.

“Hey, John?..” Alexander began.

“What’s up?”

“I have to hang out with Thomas again during lunch. We have some things to work out for the dance next week..”

“That’s fine.”

Alexander leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you. If we don’t finish, I might have to meet with him after school.. I don’t want to have to waste time I could be spending with you tomorrow.”

John smiled. Valentine’s day. He already had his gift for Alexander ready. “That’s okay with me, too.”

Alexander smiled and squeezed his hand. “You’re the best… I’m working on a surprise for you to show you how much I love you..”

“Oh yeah? Is it my present for tomorrow?”

“Well, no, that’s something else. Or it can be a late present since I’m going to give it to you at the dance next Friday..”

“Why then specifically?”

“Just.. trust me. You’re going to love it.” He kissed his cheek and they got to school, going to class.

Thomas came in soon after them and sat beside John, Alexander glaring lightly at him. John may have found it in his heart to forgive him, but Alexander wasn’t going to be nearly as easy on him.

Thomas didn’t seem to mind. He wasn’t fond of Alexander either. “How are you doing, sunshine? I saw that post you made..”

“I’m fine.” He smiled.

“Where did you go yesterday?”

“I had to get taken into questioning about the pamphlet,” he responded, quietly enough that nobody else would hear. “I cleared everything up. My story’s straight.”

“You made something up?” Thomas practically whispered.

John nodded. “Can we talk about it later?”

“No problem.” He smiled and sat straight up, facing the front as Adams came in.

Alexander glanced over at them for a second before looking back down at his desk. John hadn’t told him much about what happened the day before and he highly doubted he was going to be enthusiastic to answer if he asked. Not after what he did last time he told him his secrets. Still, Alexander stood by the notion that he did the right thing. People should have known the truth and he was angry, not at John, but at whatever was making him keep to himself the pain he had to go through.

Unfortunately, it was a test day throughout most of the school, nobody wanted to test on Valentine’s day or a Friday in general, so Alexander didn’t get much of a chance to talk to John then or to Lafayette the next period. And, during lunch, he was stuck dealing with Thomas.

Just as they had the day before, the pair disagreed on most things, even the pettiest of things. Of course, they didn’t get much done.

Alexander sighed.

“Look, we have to get this done.. Maybe we can deal with it tonight? My place?”

“Your place?..” He knew Thomas was past it, but the idea of going anywhere near him after last week was unsettling.

“You can bring John, if you want.”

Alexander shook his head. “Maybe we can just go to John’s apartment? I don’t think he’d mind.”

“Good idea. I can talk to him and make sure he’s okay.”

“He’s fine.”

Thomas scoffed. “You know, for some funny reason, I’m having a hard time trusting you on that.”

And Alexander couldn’t argue against it.

Hercules sat with John at lunch, Lafayette trailing behind somewhere. “Hey, Jack. Where’s Alex? Did you kill him?”

John rolled his eyes and chuckled. “I did not kill him. He’s talking with Jefferson about some things for the dance again. As long as they don’t kill each other, I’m fine.”

“You’re alright? I know it’s been rough for you..”

“I’m fine. I promise that if I have any troubles, I’ll go straight to you or Lafayette.”

“Good.. I didn’t get much of a chance to ask yesterday.”

“It’s fine.”

Lafayette came up behind Herc and put his hands over his eyes. “Hello there.”

Hercules smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist as he sat down. “Hi.” He tried to kiss his cheek, but Lafayette leaned away. “No, I’m upset at you after what you did last night.”

“What did he do?”

“He sent me shirtless selfies while I was at a sleepover with some girls from drama.”

John snickered and Hercules blushed, shrugging.

“Can you blame me? You left me all on my lonesome,” he said with a pout, feigning heartbreak.

Lafayette rolled his eyes and kissed his cheek. “I suppose I can’t stay mad at you.”

Hercules smiled, then looked at John. “So, what time are you coming by the shop tomorrow?”

“What do you mean?”

“… He didn’t tell you yet?”

“What? Did Alex tell you that we needed costumes for the dance?”

“I shouldn’t tell you..”

He smiled and perked up a bit, curious. “Is it Alexander’s surprise for me?”

“Not exactly.. You’ll see.” He smiled.

“Alright.” John shrugged. “Are you two going?”

Lafayette nodded. “But Herc won’t let me know what we’re going as.”

“You’ll love it, I promise.” He kissed his cheek.

John smiled. “Nice. Alex and I were thinking Belle and Prince Adam.”

“That’s his name?” Herc asked, the other two rolling their eyes dramatically. “Well, I’m sorry I’m not a Disney freak like you two,” he replied, a joking tone behind his sarcasm.

Lafayette chuckled. “Well, now you know.”

They all went their separate ways as the bell rang for class, spending the rest of the day suffering through testing, before the freedom bell rang.

John shot out of his seat and went down to Alexander’s classroom, glad to find him just as eager to leave. “I’m so ready to head out and chill.”

Alexander sighed. “I’ve got to deal with Jefferson… Can we do it at your place?.. I don’t want to go to his…”

“Yeah, of course.” He squeezed his hand reassuringly. “It’ll be fine.”

He nodded and tensed up as Jefferson approached them.

“Hey, guys. I’ll be over after drama, alright?”

“Yeah, I just want to get this over with..” Alexander muttered.

“Good. Mind if I bring Lucy over?”

“Not at all,” John smiled. “I’ll ask Maria if I can borrow Susan again.”

“Sounds like a plan. Want a ride? You can watch our rehearsal in the meantime.”

“No,” Alexander interceded. “We can walk..”

“It’s a good thing I wasn’t offering you a ride, then.” Thomas rolled his eyes and looked back at John. “So? I was hoping we could talk a bit. Just talk.”

John shook his head. “No, Alexander’s right. I don’t mind walking. We’ll meet you there.”

Thomas tutted and nodded before walking off.

John kissed Alexander’s cheek and walked home with him.

Lafayette met up with Hercules after school, needing to tell him something before he went to drama.

“What did my sweet boyfriend need?”

Well… Lafayette didn’t usually take romantic advice from Alexander, but he had him convinced that this was a good way to come out and, to be frank, he didn’t have any other ideas. “I just wanted to let you know that you can’t call me your boyfriend anymore… Because I’m your datemate!” He quickly added after seeing just how quickly Hercules reacted.

And reacted he did. Hercules almost went into cardiac arrest at the thought of not being able to call Lafayette his boyfriend anymore and took a huge deep breath as he cleared it up for him. “Holyfuckyoucan'tmakejokeslikethatyoucould'vekilledme-” He hugged him as tightly as he could and kissed all over his face.

“I’m sorry,” he laughed. “Alexander told me to say it.”

“Oh my god, I’m going to kill him! You can be my girlfriend, boyfriend, datemate, cat, dog, whatever! As long as you’re still mine, I don’t care!”

Lafayette smiled and kissed him. “Don’t worry. I spent all that time pining after you, I’m never going to leave you.”

Hercules smiled and kissed him again.

Eacker chuckled at the sight and cleared his throat. “Sorry to break you two up, but we do have a musical to rehearse.”

Lafayette blushed, embarrassed at being caught. “Right.. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Eacker nodded and went back into the auditorium, not noticing three freshman sneaking past him to peek out.

Lafayette smiled at Hercules again. “Sorry.. I guess I have to go.”

Hercules nodded. “One more kiss? After you almost gave me a heart attack, you owe me.”

Lafayette rolled his eyes and chuckled, then kissed him again, jumping as he heard three “Aw!"s from beside him. "You girls are so mean!” he whined as he spotted them.

“You two are just so cute together,” Frances teased.

“Careful or I might just switch out the blue Gatorade for actual drain cleaner.”

She stuck her tongue out. “Yeah right, Thomas.”

He tutted and pecked Herc’s lips. “I’ll see you later. I have to round up the little freshmen.”

Hercules nodded. “Okay. I’ll miss you,” he said with a wink before leaving, making Lafayette blush and remember the selfies he’d sent him.

“You all suck,” he grumbled as he walked into the auditorium and sat down.

Eacker smiled as everyone finally settled down and help up an envelope. “Guess what I’ve got!” He pulled out a black ticket with red, yellow, and green silhouettes on one end and a blue one on the other, the whole class cheering. “I’ve got enough for two tickets each in here,” he told them as he handed them all out. “You guys are all doing such a great job. Two weeks down and two to go. We’ve covered every song in here a few times all together, we’ve gone through the choreography, and we’ve put the two together on a few songs. Why don’t we go through the program, songs only today. And, tomorrow, we can separate and get through the spoken scenes as fast as we can. I know most of you have plans.”

The class began muttering excitedly, both about their plans for the next day and the progress that they’d made on their production.

“I know, I know, but listen. I’m not done. Monday and Wednesday next week, we’ll work on all of Act One. Tuesday and Thursday, Act Two. Friday, we can run through the entire show, but it will take all of you staying later. The week after, dress rehearsals. Then, finally, we take this on stage!”

The class cheered and burst into chatter.

That time, Eacker let it die down on its own before getting everyone in place and starting the show. 

 


	52. Chapter 52

Alexander sighed and plopped down beside John on the couch as they arrived at his apartment.

“Are you alright?”

“I don’t want to deal with Thomas…”

“I’ll be just in my room. I promise you’ll be fine.”

Alexander nodded and buried his face in his chest. “This week sucked..”

“Why don’t we skip tomorrow? I’ll treat you to another date, if you’re up for it.”

“… Last time we had a date, you almost broke up with me the next day.”

“That’s not going to happen, I promise.” He kissed his head. “We can go to the movies and a museum and wherever else you want to go.”

“Can we get our costumes for the dance?..”

“Yeah.” He smiled.

Alexander sat up and kissed him. “Okay..”

John kissed back and held Alexander close, staying like that with him for the next hour and a half.

By then, Alexander grabbed his phone and checked the time. Did drama really take that long? He decided to text Thomas, just to be safe. [Dnt 4gt 2 cum 2 John’s plas]

He got a reply almost immediately, but it wasn’t one he expected. [… Do what at John’s? xx]

[dnt b gros]

[I’m on my way, I’m just getting Lucy. xx]

Alexander sighed. “Jefferson’s on his way..”

John nodded and kissed his head. “Let’s go get Susan, then.”

“You go.. I’ll get ready to deal with him..”

“Okay.” He got up and left, coming back with Susan in his arms a minute later.

She hopped to the ground and went over to Alexander, pulling herself up into the couch in front of him. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He smiled.

“Johnny says I’m meeting a new friend!”

“Yeah, you are..”

She smiled and ran off to John’s room, Thomas buzzing in soon after.

John buzzed him in and opened the door for him, Lucy hugging his legs as tightly as ever.

“Hi, Johnny!”

“Hi Lucy.” He picked her up and smiled.

“Do I really have to share you today?..”

He nodded.

“I don’t want to..” She buried her face in his shoulder. “You’re my friend…”

“I know, but I’m her friend too. Maybe you’ll like her, okay?”

“No..”

John sighed. “Let’s just try, okay?”

She didn’t respond and John realized that this was not about to be easy.

Thomas rubbed her back. “Be nice for Johnny, okay? Otherwise, I won’t bring you next time.”

She pouted and nodded, John carrying her back to his room. “This is your house?..”

“It’s my apartment, yeah.”

“Where’s the rest of it?”

“This is the whole apartment.”

“That’s it?”

He chuckled. “Well, it’s just me here most of the time.” He took her into his room and set her down beside Susan, who was coloring, and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back in a second. Be nice, okay?”

Lucy pouted, but nodded.

John went back to the living room just as Thomas sat down with Alexander. “I’ll just be in the next room. I’d better not hear you two fighting. If either of you starts a fight, I won’t hesitate to make you leave. Understood?”

They both nodded. John may have been treating them like kids, but maybe it was necessary.

“Good.” He smiled and went back to his room just in time to hear Susan crying. He walked back faster and found Lucy coloring in her book. He picked up Susan and rocked her as he sat down beside Lucy. “Isn’t that Susan’s coloring book?..”

“I wanted to show her how to color right. She was coloring all wrong, see?” She flipped the page and showed John the fully colored picture that she’d scratched out.

He frowned. “That’s not nice, Lucy. There’s no one right way to color.”

“But she’s not doing it right!” she whined.

“She’s coloring her way. She’s only a baby, she’s still learning.”

Lucy pouted. She was definitely Thomas’s sister. It was obvious that she had good, albeit self-serving, intentions, but she was going about it the wrong way.

“Did you ask to color?”

“I wanted to show her! She shouldn’t be crying..”

“You took it from her and the picture she colored looked nice. Why don’t you ask if you can use it and tell her why you want to?”

“But.. But… It’s not fair! I wanted to help her!”

“I know that, but you have to tell Susan. She loves her coloring book because I made it for her.”

She frowned. “Why don’t I have one?!”

“Because I didn’t know if I’d be able to give it to you. I’ll make you one right now if you promise to play nice with Susan.”

She pouted, but nodded. “Okay… Can I help you color, Susan?..”

She sniffled as she finished crying and looked at Lucy, nodding. “Okay…”

John smiled and cleaned her face, then put her down. “There. Isn’t that better?”

Lucy nodded. “Yeah..”

He sat up on his bed and watched as they colored, sketching out a coloring book for Lucy as they played.

Thomas watched from the door from the second that he heard Lucy getting herself into trouble and smiled at the sight. John was one of the few people she’d actually listen to and it was nice to see him dealing with kids. It was sweet. He went back to the living room once John got them situated and sat with Alexander, both reluctantly working together.

They managed to get a few things done without arguing, but what would the pair be without bickering over a few petty points? The only things that was able to stop their bickering was when John came out from his room with two small children following him into the kitchen. Both boys felt their heart melt at the sweet sight and they were able to silence their arguing, resorting to just mouthing and typing insults to each other with only the occasional whispered curse.

John went into the kitchen and let the girls watch and help him cook lasagna, glad to see that they were starting to get along. While it cooked, they went back to John’s room and colored again, John still drawing. When it was finished, John went back and pulled the dish out of the oven, letting it cool before serving it on plates. He even cut Thomas and Alexander a piece, taking their plates to them.

Thomas smiled. “You always were good at cooking, especially for someone so addicted to pizza.”

John chuckled. “Thanks.” He kissed Alexander’s cheek before walking back to the kitchen and taking plates back to his room for himself and the girls.

Thomas picked up his plate and began eating, noticing that Alexander just picked at his own. “What’s up with you?”

“Not hungry.”

“You should eat. It’s good.”

“I’ll eat when I’m ready.”

“Well, we need to take a break, then just get back to it.”

Alexander tutted.

Thomas rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He kept eating. Arguing like that wasn’t worth it.

After eating, John began watching movies with the girls on top of a few piled blankets and pillows on the floor, mainly Disney movies, and hardly even noticed that he’d fallen asleep until he woke up hours later to Lucy wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

He carefully pried her arms off and got up, taking their empty plates to the sink and making sure that World War III hadn’t broken out in his living room. What he found was quite the opposite and made him smile. “Aww..”

Thomas and Alexander had fallen asleep as well and were leaning against each other, Thomas’s arm around Alexander’s shoulders and Alexander’s head against his side. They were practically cuddling.

After putting the plates in the sink and going back for theirs, John draped a blanket over Thomas and Alexander before going back to his room and going back to sleep.

In the morning, he woke up to his phone blowing up with texts from Alexander.

[JON] [JHON] [FUCK] [HLEP] [SHIT] [IM W/ JEFRESON] [HES OHLDING ME] [WAT DO I DO]

John chuckled and got up, deciding to let this play out. It was funny. Alexander hadn’t even tried to wake up Thomas, he just let him sleep at the time. So, he carefully picked up Susan and covered Lucy, taking her back to Maria for daycare.

Alexander perked up a bit when he heard John shifting around from the other room and smiled as he came into view… Before it dropped into shock as he just walked past him. “John! John!” he whispered as he walked out. He grumbled and waited for him to come back, leaning up as he came back.

John smiled. “You two are cute when you’re not fighting.” He walked back to his room with a grin.

That stupid grin. John knew what he was doing. “John!” Alexander whined, trying to escape Thomas’s grip, only for him to hold him tighter. He tried texting John again. [cOME BAK] [WAT TH FUCKJOHN] [HELP ME I SWARE 2 GOD] [U R THE WORST PERSN] [UGGHHHHHH] There was no response, John just left him on ‘read.’ He groaned and accepted his fate, going back to sleep for a few minutes.

Thomas woke up then, tutting as he looked down at Alexander. “Ew,” he muttered as he pushed him to the floor.

“Ow!” he complained as he was forced awake.

“Do I look like a bed to you?”

“I tried to wake you up earlier, but you couldn’t hear me over your disgusting snoring.”

“How dare you, you intolerable-”

“Hey!” John interrupted. “Both of you were cuddled up against each other, so cut the arguing.”

“I’d never want to come near him,” Alexander snapped.

John shook his head and pulled out his phone, showing them pictures that he’d taken of the two undoubtedly cuddling. “You two were just so adorable, I couldn’t resist,” he shrugged before heading to the kitchen, both boys in pursuit of the god awful pictures.

“Sunshine, honey, you don’t want that silly picture… If you wanted a photo of me, all you’d need to do was ask.”

Alexander rolled his eyes. “Nobody wants a photo of /your/ sorry ass.” He turned to John. “John, if you love me, you’ll get rid of that phot-”

“Oh, now you’re going to play /that/ card?” Thomas snapped, leaning over Alexander. “How pathetic…”

“You really should stop talking to your reflection, Jeffershit.”

“Jeffershit? Is that the best you can do, Hoemilton?”

John rolled his eyes. “I’d knock it off, if I were you. If you guys fight, I will post these pictures.”

They both backed down a bit.

“Good. Lucy is just in the other room. You have to take her to school, Thomas.”

Thomas tutted and nodded. “Okay.. Do you want to come along? I want to take you somewhere.”

“You’re not taking my boyfriend anywhere, especially not today.”

Thomas rolled his eyes. “If he dumps your sorry ass, that won’t be on me. If you’re that insecure that you can’t let him hang out with someone else, that’s your problem.”

Alexander glared after a few seconds, unable to think of a witty reply. Or any reply.

John sighed and frowned. “I’ll just be a bit, okay?.. Then you and I can spend the rest of the day together, I promise..”

How could Alexander turn him down? He had to trust him more. And he had to stop hurting him. “Okay…”

“I guess he can come with. As long as he walks.”

Alexander growled in response.

“Hey John, your dog needs training.”

“Hey John, there’s a rapist in your house.”

“Well, aren’t we learning things about you, Alex…”

“If I wanted my own comeback, I’d have wiped it off your mom’s chin!”

Thomas looked like he was going to throttle Alexander and Alexander looked just as on edge. But with John in ownership of those photos, both knew it was an awful idea.

“Forget it. I’ll just stay here..”

John kissed his cheek. “Thank you. You can choose what we do today.”

He nodded.

Thomas headed to the bedroom and had Lucy get ready before taking her to school, John in the passenger’s seat.

“Who was that other guy?”

“He’s my boyfriend, Alexander.”

After a few seconds, that information processed and she came to the first conclusion that came to mind. “He stole you from Tommy!”

“Lucy, he didn’t steal me. He only became my boyfriend a bit ago.”

She pouted. “He stole you…”

“I promise he didn’t. Can you trust me on that?”

“… Okay..”

Thomas dropped her off at school before taking John to Mulligan’s.

“What are we doing here?”

“I’ve got a surprise for you. Come on.” He led him into the shop, holding the door open for him.

Sarah smiled as she saw John coming in and let it fall as Thomas followed him in. “Thomas.”

“H-Hello Mrs Mulligan…”

“Just what do you think you’re doing here?”

“Okay, I know a lot has happened, but-”

“Without giving me a hug?” She beamed once again before pulling him into a tight hug. “Oh, Tommy, it’s been far too long! Hugh told me you were coming in with Johnny here!”

He caught his breath as she let him go. “It’s nice to see you again too!”

She smiled and let him catch his breath, taking John away in the meantime. “So, did he tell you what we were doing today?”

“No, actually.”

“I’ll let him explain, then.” She had him stand in front of a mirror and Thomas walked over, now recovered.

“What’s going on?..” John asked him.

“Well.. I know I haven’t been the best person to you these past couple of weeks and I want to make that up. I’m buying your costume for the dance next week. Custom made, whatever character you want, I’ll pay for it.”

John’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh, you really didn’t have to do that.”

“I don’t care. I want to. You deserve something special.”

John’s first thought? Alexander was not going to like this.

Sarah smiled and began taking his measurements, then asked what character he was thinking of.

Of course, he told her that he wanted to be Belle.

She nodded and wrote down the numbers when she finished. “I’ll let you know when we have it done.”

John nodded and followed Thomas out of the shop when everything was done, still trying to figure out what to say on the matter.


	53. Chapter 53

Thomas smiled at him once they got in his car. "Are you okay? You look a bit lost."

"I'm fine.. I just... Why are you doing this for me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean paying for my costume like that.."

He shrugged and began driving. "I wanted to. I really owe you for everything I've done and this is just a start on me paying you pack."

He nodded a bit. "Okay.." As if he wasn't confused on his feelings before.. He could not be feeling this way for another guy. He had a boyfriend, and a great one at that. 

"I'm not asking for anything else, I promise. I just want to do something for you."

"This is a big something for nothing in return.."

"John.. You know me. I know I made some awful decisions, but you know I'd never make you do anything. I really care about you.. As long as your happy, I'm happy."

John simply nodded in response. 

Thomas sighed and smiled a bit, attempting to lighten the mood. "I'm still willing to pummel Alex, if he hurts you again," he said, half joking. 

John chuckled. "If it's that bad, I might just let you."

He smiled and let John open the gate before taking him to the apartment. When they got there, he walked him up to the door. "I'll see you later, sunshine.."

"Okay." John smiled and turned the door knob. 

Thomas grabbed his hand. "John, wait. Um... Nevermind.. I'm sorry.. I'll just go." He leaned down and kissed John's cheek as fast as he could, then pushed the door open for him.

"John, finally! I missed you.." Alexander said, his initial smile fading as he saw that Thomas was still there. 

"I'm going, I'm going." He waved and left.

John sighed and closed the door behind him, then went and sat with Alexander. 

"Where did you go?.. If you don't mind my asking..."

What was John supposed to do besides tell the truth? "He took me to Mulligan's. He's buying my costume for the dance next week."

"Oh.." Alexander wanted to say he could've done that himself, but he didn't exactly have the money for it. 

"But it's no big deal or anything, he just wants to make up for being a jerk."

"Good. You deserve an apology more than anyone." He leaned against him and cuddled his arm. 

John kissed his head. "So, what did you decide you wanted to do today?"

"Maybe go to the park and just hang out. Maybe have a little picnic?"

"That sounds perfect. But first, I want to give you your present." He kissed Alexander's cheek, then got up and went to his room. When he came back, he gave him something rolled up and wrapped up.

"Thank you." Alexander smiled and opened it, gasping at what he saw. "Oh, wow..." He was met with five detailed, fully colored drawings of John and himself, all of things he remembered. Alexander holding Peep, Peep in John's hair, the pair kissing, the pair just sleeping together, and the pair with Susan. Each one was just as beautiful as the last and he was completely awestruck. And completely lovestruck. "John.. They're beautiful..."

He smiled. "I'm glad you like it."

"Like it?.. I love it!" He hugged him tightly. "I love you so much! I love you!"

John chuckled and returned the hug. "I love you too."

"I should've bought you something.. I don't have your present yet, but I promise I'll show you at the dance."

"That's fine. I just wanted to give you yours now." He kissed his cheek. 

"I'll make us breakfast. And lunch." He hopped up and went to the kitchen before John could protest, making pancakes and coffee. He brought out both of their plates before going back and making spaghetti, something simple and quick. 

When he finished cooking, John got up and went to him, hugging him and kissing him softly. "You don't need to do all of this for me."

"I want to, though... You deserve it.. I should treat you a lot better and I know that for a fact."

He smiled. "Thank you.."

Alexander leaned up and kissed him again before taking his hands and leading him out to the living room, eating breakfast with him. He struggled, taking small bites, but with John there, it wasn't nearly as impossible of a task as it would've been just weeks ago. John truly was a miracle. He was his miracle. And he'd taken him for granted. 

John rubbed his back gently as he ate, keeping him distracted from the task and helping him eat more easily. When he finished the two pancakes, John wrapped his arms around Alexander and pulled him down so they were laying on the couch, kissing him before he had a chance to question it. "I'm so proud of you. You're doing so well with eating."

Alexander smiled widely and kissed John, loving anytime he said he was proud of him. It made him feel great, like he was doing more than just eating. He leaned down and kissed John softly, letting the kiss build up between the two. John may have been great at surprising Alexander with passionate kisses, but Alexander was better at letting kisses build up between the pair until, before they knew it, they were making out again. It was a flurry of tongues and a waltz between their lips and they both absolutely loved every second of it. Before he knew it, Alexander's hands were below John's shirt, resting on his waist. He only pulled away when he felt John shuddering from the sudden cold. "What color?"

"Green." John smiled softly. He wasn't nervous about this with Alexander. He may not have trusted him as easily with a secret, but he trusted him to not push his boundaries. 

"Good.." He leaned down and pecked his lips, then properly kissed him again. As he did, he pushed his shirt up further until he had to pull away to tug it off. "Is this okay?.."

"Yeah, it's fine." He nodded and helped Alexander, raising his head so the task was that much easier. 

Alexander pulled off the shirt and just tossed it aside, his attention on John and how unbelievably incredible he was. "God.. How am I with you? You're an angel compared to me.." He leaned down and kissed John's cheek before letting his lips trail down to his neck. "Still green?.."

John nodded. "Still green." Though his face was bright red. He moved his hands up and pulled at Alexander's shirt, getting it off of him. "What about you?"

"Green." He smiled and ran his hands down John's sides before leaning down and kissing at his neck, sucking a small hickey into his skin and blushing darkly as he let out the smallest moan. He sat up and hooked his fingers into the waistband of his jeans before pausing. "Are you sure you're completely green?.. Like not green turning into yellow? Or tinted yellow? Because if you don't want to-"

"Alex," John chuckled, interrupting him. "I'm okay, I promise.. Are you okay with this?.."

He nodded. "Of course I am.. I just... After last time..."

"I get it.. But that was just an in the moment feeling. It came out of nowhere. I promise that if a moment happens again, I'll tell you, but for now, I promise that I'm okay and I'll tell you if that changes."

John was right. A moment like that wasn't going to announce itself... He just needed to relax and try to enjoy their time together. He started by pulling off John's jeans, staring at him as he was left in his underwear. When he realized what he was doing, he shook his head. "I'm sorry.. I must look like such a huge creep.. I just... How am I with you? You're gorgeous, like.. Wow.."

He smiled. "It's not creepy, I get it." He could see that the look in Alexander's eyes was almost pure, even in the heat of the moment. It's what made the experience easier with Alexander than it had been with Thomas. Alexander's intentions and his personality was so much more pure than Thomas had been, even if their minds were in the same places. 

Alexander pecked his lips, then blushed as he made a confession. "So.. When I watch porn.." He paused and snorted a bit. "And yes, I shockingly watch porn, it's always with girls... Like straight... So I don't know what I'm doing... Like I know the department in question, but I don't know like what you like or want or whether you even want to go further or what I do or how I do it well or-"

John shut him up with a kiss, pulling Alexander back down to earth. "You don't need to be so nervous.. I'm pretty new at this, too. If you want to, I do want to go farther.. And I think it's best if we just kind of figure this out as we go. I can kind of lead you a bit through the basics of this all, though.."

Alexander smiled and nodded. "That sounds good.."

John began getting up. "Maybe we should move this to my bed, though.. It'd be more comfortable and.." He trailed off for a second, embarrassed about his own confession. "And I've got condoms and lube and stuff in my nightstand.. After last time, I figured better safe than sorry, you know?"

Alexander nodded. "I'm glad one of us came prepared. But.. If you're a guy, what's the point of.. you know.."

He chuckled. "You really don't know anything about this.. It's okay. We'll both learn as we go." He pecked his lips, then held his hands and took him to his room. 

Now, they'd be lying if they said their first time wasn't awkward. It was an exploration for the both of them, tongues exploring new ground and hands in new places. They occasionally had to take a quick break when a temporary yellow would arise or when they just had to giggle at something silly or awkward. The occasion was sweet and romantic, almost innocent. Many people compared their first times to fireworks, but for Alexander and John, it was much calmer than that. It wasn't what they'd expected, but for them, it was much better. 

John had fallen asleep soon after, curled up against Alexander's side with a slight smile on his face.

Alexander kissed his forehead and got up, tucking him into the covers before grabbing his clothes and getting dressed. He went to the living room and cleaned up a bit, clearing their plates from breakfast and tidying up a bit before looking at his drawing once again. John was such an amazing artist. Hell, he was an amazing person. And Friday at that dance, he was going to treat him exactly how he deserved to be treated, like royalty. Not that it meant he wasn't going to anytime sooner. He smiled and put the pages down, then went back and laid with John, taking a nap with him. 

John was the first to wake up after that, wincing as he shifted onto his side. He underestimated how sore his hips would be. And his rib for that matter. But that wasn't important. He kissed Alexander's cheek before getting up and getting dressed, heading to the front door as he heard someone knock. "Thomas? What are you doing here?"

"You forgot your wallet in my car." He gave it to him. 

"Oh, sorry. Thank you."

"No problem.. I can see you and Alexander were busy.." 

John's hand instinctively went up to his neck, hiding the bruising beneath it. "Well.. He is my boyfriend.."

Thomas nodded. "It's not that that gave it away. It's just written all over you," he teased lightly, a bit of his usual personality leaking through. After a few more seconds, he went serious again. "Seriously, though.. I know I make a lot of jokes, but after what you went through.. Are you okay? I didn't think you'd be able to do anything after you attacked me.."

"I'm okay, I promise. It wasn't you, it was just that I wasn't ready.. We should've talked about it more if we wanted to do that and that's on me."

"Don't blame yourself. I get it." He paused for a second. "So.. You're really happy with Alexander?.."

He nodded. "He's good for me.."

"He stresses you out more than you deserve. He fights anything that moves."

"He used to. People change. Just look at yourself."

Thomas frowned. "I didn't mean anything against you. I just.. I want to know you're okay..."

"I am okay. I'm happy with him, I promise. You don't need to worry so much about me."

"Right.. I know I don't have to.. But I love you, John.. I can't help it."

"I.." John trailed off. What was he supposed to say? He couldn't very well tell him how he felt. And he couldn't lie, he knew Thomas could see right through it. 

"He loves you."

John turned around and saw Alexander peeking out from the hallway. 

"He won't admit it, but he loves you... He told me himself.. He loves you and he loves me.."

"Alex.. What are you doing?.." That was the last thing he'd ever expect he'd tell Thomas. 

"I'm telling the truth.. And I think we should talk about this.. For you, John.." 

John frowned. He didn't want to force them to share him. 

"As much as I hate Thomas, he makes you happy, John... He makes you happy and that's all that should matter. It's all I want for you. I know you don't want to force us to get along, but I'd happily do it if it meant that you could be as happy as you deserve to be."

"Well..." Thomas began. "We can figure out a way where we don't have to get along. I've heard of relationships where one person is dating two people and those two don't have to date each other." The last thing he was about to do was argue with Alexander. He wanted John to be happy and, if being with Alexander made him happy, he'd let it be. If being with him as well made him happy, he'd have to be insane to turn down the chance. 

"Guys.. I don't want to force you into anything.. I don't want you to have to share me or something."

"We wouldn't be sharing you sunshine. You love Alexander just as much now as before you found out you liked me too, right?"

He nodded. 

"Then we're not sharing. You like us both and that's that. If you want to, and only if you want to, we both want to date you."

John thought for a minute. "Well.. Okay.. But we have to lay some ground rules."

"Of course." Thomas stepped in and shut the door behind himself, all three heading to and sitting on the couch. "Start us off, sunshine."

"Okay... I don't want you arguing over me. If you guys want to hang out with me, you two have to work it out and ask me if you can't figure it out."

"Done. I've got one. We don't have to split you. Just because you spend time with one of us, it doesn't mean you have to spend time with the other." Thomas didn't want him feeling obligated to budget out his time. 

Alexander nodded. "And you don't have to talk about what happened with the other. It wouldn't be like you're cheating or anything."

"Right. What about if you agree to a date, it's your decision and your decision only. Neither of us get influence on where you agree to go."

John nodded. "Those sound like good rules.. I think this could work." His biggest worry was the chance of one of the two getting jealous and a fight breaking out, but... What was the harm in just trying it out? 

Thomas smiled. "Great. Does this mean I can stick around the rest of today?"

"Well.. I'm okay with it if Alexander is." John may have been the center of the relationship, but he had few doubts that Alexander would have to be catered for the most. 

"I'm okay with it... You can go out with him if you want. I'll just stay here."

He nodded and got up. 

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Alexander kissed his cheek. "Besides, I have some things to do for the dance."

"Speaking of, Aaron told me to ask you if you want to work on decorating the hall this weekend. There aren't any events in the main hall until then."

Alexander nodded. "Sure. We can finish talking about it later."

"Alright. Ready to go, sunshine?"

"I should take a shower first.. Just give me half an hour. Don't fight while I'm gone." He kissed both of their cheeks before getting up and going to the bathroom. He took a quick shower and put on clean clothes, then covered the bruising on his neck with makeup and fixed his hair before going back out, glad to see that Thomas and Alexander hadn't destroyed anything. Instead, it seemed that they'd been talking about their dance, stopping when John came over. 

"Hey, sunshine. Ready to go?"

"Yeah." He smiled and pecked Alexander's lips. "I'll see you later." He grabbed Thomas's hand and walked out with him.

Thomas smiled as they left and lightly squeezed John's hand, relishing in the feeling of it in his own and the knowledge that he'd actually managed to win back the best thing he'd ever lost. "Alright, sunshine. Where do you want to go?"

He shrugged. "You choose."

He thought for a minute as they got in his car before nodding. "Alright. I have an idea."

"Where?"

"It's a surprise." He smiled and drove off. 


	54. Chapter 54

Theodosia met up with Aaron at lunch as she had been with a box in her arms.

He smiled as he saw her and helped her with the box. “What is this?”

“It’s your gift.. You know, for Valentine’s day?… You wanted to do that, right? Because if you didn’t, you don’t have to get me any-”

“Theodosia, don’t worry. I’ll admit that the day slipped my mind, but I do want to get you something.” Truth be told, he wasn’t sure if getting Theodosia a present would have been too forward. After all, their relationship was so new.

“Sorry.. I get panicky sometimes. I got Mark something for Christmas, but he didn’t want to get me anything because he already gave me rides everywhere and stuff..” Even that was an exaggeration of what he did for her. He’d never do that without complaining and he’d only do it if he felt like it. “Anyways, open it!” She returned to her normal, bright demeanor.

Aaron smiled as she sprung back to life and opened the box, smiling at the cake inside. “It’s beautiful.”

“I didn’t know what flavor you liked, so I just went with chocolate.. Is that okay?”

“It’s more than okay. I love it.” He leaned over the table and kissed her cheek. “I promise I’ll give you something just as great.”

“Again, you don’t have to. I don’t want you to think I’m making you get me anything..”

“You wouldn’t be. I want to do something nice for you because you deserve something nice not just to return the kindness.” He smiled. “Maybe you could come over after drama and we can eat this cake together?”

“That sounds nice.”

He nodded. “Perfect. So, what are you doing in drama today?”

“Just acting out most of the scenes. You know, not counting the musical numbers. We got a few done yesterday, so we’re just going to finish it up.”

He nodded. “Okay. I hope you don’t mind me not going again today.” He’d told her the day before that he’d wanted to wait to see their progress until they actually put on the show.

“That’s okay. I get it.” She smiled. Aaron had the sweetest way with words.

“I’ll pick you up as soon as you text me, though.”

“Thank you.. Like for everything. You’ve just been the best person to me..”

“You deserve nothing less than the best, Theodosia. You’re the sweetest person I’ve ever met.”

There it was again. Almost everything Aaron said made Theodosia melt inside, her face showing it in the way she blushed. “I could say the same thing.. I’m so glad I met you.” She smiled and moved over so she was sitting beside him. “Can I kiss you?..”

“Of course you can.” This time, it was Aaron blushing brightly at Theodosia’s words. He leaned forward and let her close the gap between their lips, letting her take his first real kiss. When he pulled away, his face managed to get to an even brighter shade of red. There was no denying that he was purely in love with Theodosia.

And she felt the same, no doubt. It was fast, but it was real.

Aaron smiled and held her hand as they ate their lunch before walking her back to class, waving as he passed Hercules and Lafayette.

Anyone who knew the pair were surprised to see that they didn’t skip school to spend the day together intimately, but Valentine’s day wasn’t for them. They knew that they loved each other and they didn’t need any one special day to show each other or to make any grand gestures. Besides, where was the fun in that?

“Come on, Thomas, where are we?”

“I told you, it’s a surprise. You’ll see when we get there.”

“Is the blindfold really necessary?”

“Yes because otherwise, you’d see exactly where we are.” He finally parked and got out of the car, going to the other side and leading John out. “Just follow me.” He took his hands and walked with him to the entrance. When they got there, he stopped just outside of another door. “Wait right here. I promise I’ll be back in a split second.”

“And the blindfold?”

“Keep it. You’ll see and you’ll love it, I promise.” He kissed his cheek before leaving.

John stood awkwardly for just a minute before Thomas came back out and grabbed his hands again.

“Alright. Let’s keep going this way.”

John tutted as Thomas pulled him through the corridors of wherever they were, blindly following. When they finally stopped, Thomas pulled the blindfold off of John. “Here we are.”

John looked around. “Are we in a school?”

“Yes, we are. Your present is right through this door.” He pushed the door open and let John walk into the kindergarten classroom, the teacher smiling at the two.

“It’s nice to finally have you teaching a class, Mr Laurens.”

“Johnny!” Lucy came flying across the classroom and into John’s arms, his face still expressing his shock.

“I.. What?..” He looked at Thomas, who simply nodded.

“For the time being, this is your class.”

John smiled widely. “You’re insane..”

“Well, you’d better get to it. I’m sure you can teach a better art class in the next hour than I could in the whole year.”

John nodded put Lucy down.

“Are you here to be my teacher?”

“I’m here to be everyone’s teacher. And I can help you later, if you promise to play nice and share me for now.”

She nodded quickly and zoomed back to her seat.

John stood up and thought for a few seconds before picking a few items and taking them to each table, placing it in the center and having everyone draw them to the best of their abilities. He helped them improve their works and choose colors that worked best for the pictures, teaching them why similar colors may have looked so off.

“But it’s still green. Why is it so wrong?”

“Because the green you’re coloring with is really bright and shiny. And the box is dark green. Try this one.” He pulled a forest green crayon from the pile and gave it to him, watching the click happen as it came out looking more like the actual storage box.

“You’re so good at this, mister!”

“Thanks.” He smiled and kept moving around.

Thomas watched from the front of the classroom most of the time, smiling as he watched John in his element. Being around kids, probably even older ones, that was where he was meant to be. He hardly saw him being any more passionate than when he was teaching art to any of his friends and hardly ever happier than around kids. And he was so perfect at it that there was already visible improvement in most of the kids he passed as he made his way to John. “I’m going to wait outside by the car. I’ll see you when you’re done, okay?”

John nodded. “Yeah, no problem.” He smiled and quickly turned his attention back to the kids. When his time was up, all of the kids thanked him and many of them let him keep their drawings, mainly the first copies of them. He promised to treasure each and every one and he planned on doing just that. When he went out to Thomas’s car, he frowned a bit as he found him smoking. He completely forgot he had the habit since he’d ignored him for so long.

“Hey, sunshine. Did you have fun?” He stomped out his cigarette as soon as he saw John, knowing that he disliked the habit.

“Actually, I did. It was great.” He smiled and got in the passenger’s seat, glad to find that Thomas didn’t smoke in the car.

Thomas got in and kissed his cheek, then began chewing gum to get rid of the smell on his breath as he drove off. “I’m glad to hear that. Lucy told everyone that you’d come teach one day, so half the school knows your name.”

“Really?..”

“Yeah. You really are a great artist, sunshine.”

He smiled. “Where to now?”

“I was thinking just my place, if that’s alright with you. We can watch a movie and I’ll take you home once I have to pick up Lucy.”

“That sounds nice.”

Thomas drove them to his place and led John inside. “Do you mind going up to my room?.. My mom’s stupid boyfriend is home and I need to talk to  you..”

“Okay.” John would’ve been lying if he said he wasn’t just a bit wary, but he did his best to ignore it and made sure it didn’t show as he followed Thomas up to his bedroom. He sat on the large, plush bed and watched as Thomas put on some old romcom, mainly to serve as background noise, before sitting with him.

“Okay.. I know this doesn’t excuse anything I did, but my life went down the drain after you left me..” He sighed and held one of John’s hands. “My parents split and my dad’s who knows where by now. Like I said, my mom’s with this new, young guy, Kevin, I think. He’s not a fan of me or Lucy and he’s got my mom around his stupid fingers.. And you know how Lucy is. She’s been a bit of a bully since she started school, more so when she was upset about you leaving.. I had to beg to not have her sent to some boarding school, but now, she’s essentially my responsibility.” He sighed. “So… I obviously need a way to relax and I start smoking. Then, I start going to clubs with Jay. One night, there’s this hot chick at the bar sweet talking me and I just kind of said fuck it and went with her to the nearest cheap motel. She’s gone in the morning and it’s the first time I feel chill. So I do it again the next week with another girl, then some guys. Then this girl comes around, Abigail… Smith, I think her name was. Anyways, a few weeks after her, she calls me up and tells me she’s pregnant and it’s mine and I start freaking out. Like, I’m not an idiot, I always use a condom, but if there’s one thing I’m not ready for, it’s a surprise kid.. So I quit that for a while and try to see what you’re up to only to find some hot head Caribbean kid after you, too… I missed you so much and I hated him so much for stealing you that I was willing to do anything to get you back.. I never expected for you to actually forgive me for that..”

“People change. I know that..” After all, he used to have his own share of anger issues. He was basically beyond that. “And you know what you did was wrong.”

“Damn right. You know I’ll do anything to make it up to you..” He sighed and got up. “Sorry, I need to smoke.” He went to the balcony and did just that, John following so they could continue speaking, but keeping his distance. “Abigail was just a scare, by the way. I didn’t finish telling you. And you’ll never believe who she’s married to.” He pulled out his phone and showed John a Facebook friend request from this Abigail. She actually was really pretty. And married to John fucking Adams.

“Shit.. How did he land her?” John may have been gay, but he knew a pretty woman when he saw one.

Thomas snorted from laughter. John really could make him laugh at any time.

“Sorry, I know that’s not the point, but.. damn.”

“God… I almost fathered Adams’ children.” He shuddered at just the thought and took another inhale of his cigarette before coughing sharply.

John flinched at the sound. He hated the habit so much.

Thomas sighed. “Why don’t we actually go watch that movie?”

John nodded, scrunching up his nose a bit as Thomas kissed his cheek. There was no hiding the nicotine on his breath.

“I know.. Smoking’s bad and all that jazz. I’ll go brush my teeth, then I’ll join you. You pick the movie.” He left to the bathroom and John put on The Princess Diaries. He chuckled at the choice when he came back and saw, but let it be. Today was all about spoiling John. He sat beside him and gently pulled him into his lap, giving him the chance to protest, if he wanted to. When he didn’t, Thomas smiled and held John against his chest. About halfway through the movie, he brought something up.

“So, I know you remember my pick up lines. Is Flirty Tommy okay with you? Because Flirty Tommy is definitely okay with you.”

John chuckled and rolled his eyes playfully. “Yeah, Flirty Tommy is okay with me. And I’m glad that Flirty Tommy is okay with me.”

“Good.” Thomas smiled and placed a few soft kisses to John’s neck, stopping as he felt him tense up. “Sorry.. Do you and Alex use any kind of system to figure out boundaries?”

He nodded. “A traffic light system. So those kisses would’ve been at a yellow.. They just feel kind of suggestive, you know?”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m not putting you through that again..”

John turned around and kissed his cheek. “I’m okay. Like I tell Alex, I know my limits.”

“Okay. I trust you.” He kissed his cheek and finished the movie with him, then went back out to the car with him. “Mind if we pick up Lucy first? I lost track of time with you.”

“No, of course not.” He smiled and followed him downstairs. As they passed the living room, a man spoke from the couch.

“I see you brought one of your fuck buddies home.”

Thomas gritted his teeth and held John’s hand tighter. “He’s not a fuck buddy, ass hat.”

“Yeah, right. I bet that’s what you tell all of them.”

John dared to glance over, too curious to see who this man thought he was. Like Thomas had described, he was young, maybe mid-20s, and handsome. Not John’s type, but handsome all the same.

“Whatever,” Thomas muttered.

“Don’t be mad because I know your type. You’d better be lucky I don’t tell your mom that you ditched school to mess around with him.”

“And you’d better be lucky I don’t shove my foot up your ass.”

“What is that? Some kind of threat? I’d like to see you try.”

Thomas rolled his eyes. It would’ve been an easy task to walk over and follow through on his words, Kevin was an inch or so shorter than him and definitely not the strongest guy, but he knew it’d be a bad idea, that he’d tell his mom that he’d started it. He couldn’t afford to get in any more trouble with him around. “I’m going to pick up Lucy.”

“Oh, that little brat. She’d better watch herself before I have your mom ship her off.”

Thomas squeezed John’s hand, grounding himself, and walked out with him. “I fucking hate him,” he said as he shut the front door behind him. “I don’t know what my mom sees in that loser.”

“I know what you mean.. I’m sorry you have to deal with that creep.”

He sighed and opened the car door for John before getting in himself. “He doesn’t usually say anything to me or Lucy, he just wants a reason to rile me up. …” He paused and looked at John, holding one of his hands. “You know you’re more than just some toy to me, right?.. You know that I really love you?..”

John nodded and squeezed his hand. “I know. I trust you.”

Thomas sighed in relief and kissed his knuckles. “Good.. I can’t stand the thought of losing you again because I don’t make that clear enough.” He let his hand go and drove to the preschool, getting out to help Lucy into the car. Or at least attempting to.

“Johnny!” she squealed as she squeezed through the seats into John’s lap, wrapping her arms around him. “Everyone said you were the best teacher ever! You’re still my teacher, but you can teach them too, sometimes.”

John smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. Let Thomas buckle you in and tell me all about your day, okay?”

She nodded and let John hand her over to Thomas, kicking her feet as he buckled her in. “Mr Franklin gave me a gold star for playing nicely with the other kids!”

“That’s great!” John said, smiling.

“And the other kids want to be my friends because I know you! I have a boyfriend now!”

“No you don’t,” Thomas corrected as he got in the front seat.

“Yes I-”

“No you don’t. No boyfriends until you’re thirty.”

“No!” she whined loudly.

John chuckled. The pair got along just as well as him and his own siblings.

She looked over at him and had an epiphany. “Can Johnny be my boyfriend?”

“No,” he said plainly.

“But you like him!”

“And you’re too young for a boyfriend!”

“Then I’ll have a girlfriend.”

“Wha- No dating! You’re six!”

“And you’re thirty!”

Thomas paused for a second. “What?”

“That’s why you can date, right?”

He tutted. “Alright, fine. I’m thirty. And I look damn good for it, too.” He pulled up at John’s apartment and let him open the gate before parking right in front of the stairs. “Watch the car for two minutes.”

“Bye, Lucy. I’ll see you later.”

Lucy waved frantically as John disappeared up the stairs, Thomas close behind him.

“Maybe you can watch her tomorrow while we’re busy with the dance.”

“That sounds great.” He smiled.

Thomas cupped his cheek gently and leaned down. “Can I kiss you?..”

John nodded and leaned up, closing his eyes.

Thomas smiled and kissed him for the first time in way too long, letting old memories flood back. After all, just as he was John’s first kiss, John was his. And his first love. God, he’d missed him.

John was the first to pull away after a minute, smiling and blushing lightly. “I’ll see you tomorrow..”

He nodded and kissed his forehead. “Goodnight.” He walked off and John opened the apartment door, finding Alexander laying across the couch, watching a movie.

He smiled as John came in and sat up, opening his arms for him. “I missed you.”

John sat with him and kissed his cheek. “I missed you too.”

He cuddled with him and let him pick a movie. “Did you have fun?..”

“Yeah. He just took me to the elementary school that Lucy goes to and I taught a class, then we went back to his and watched a movie.”

He nodded. “I’m glad you had fun.”

He pecked his lips. “Now, I’m all yours for the rest of the day.”

Alexander smiled and got up, bringing out the food he’d made earlier. “So… It just kind of hit me that we’re not virgins anymore. It’s so weird.”

“I guess it is. Everyone always talks about how big of a change it is, but I feel like the same person. I still love you.” He kissed his cheek and began eating.

“I’d hope so!” He smiled and leaned against him as he ate. Everything was so much easier with John there. He had a lot less trouble with eating and taking his medicine just came to him when it was time. He still had a bit of anger to work on after letting himself let it loose for so long, but with John there, that seemed more of a goal than an impossible task.

“Were you just watching movies while I was gone?”

“I got some planning done for tomorrow and Sunday. I’m not really going to get to be here.. But I think Laf’s free, if you want to hang out with him.” The thought of leaving John alone again still worried him.

John nodded. “I’ll ask him. I’m already going to be watching Susan and Lucy, I’m sure they’ll like him.”

“Everyone likes Laf. He’s great.”

“He can be.” He smiled and put his plate down, holding Alexander closer. “This has been the best day.. Thank you.”

“You deserve the best, John. I’m going to make sure you get it.” He smiled a bit. “You know that surprise? Thomas is kind of helping with it.. He told me before and I didn’t want to tell you because.. You know.. But I think you should know now.”

“Does everyone know about this surprise but me?”

“Pretty much,” he joked.

John smiled. “Well, whatever it is, I’m sure I’ll love it.”


	55. Chapter 55

Theodosia smiled as she got in Aaron's car. "Hi."

"Hi. How was rehearsal?" He began driving them to his house. 

"It was fine. Eacker keeps saying that we're doing great, so that's good." 

He nodded. "Knowing the main cast, I'd be surprised if you weren't doing good."

She smiled. "You're too sweet sometimes.."

He chuckled and kept driving. When they got to his house, he opened the door for her before showing her to the front door. 

The second that they stepped inside, she was hit with a delicious smell. "What is that?"

"It'd dinner for us." He smiled. "I made us some vegetarian lasagna."

"Oh, you didn't! You're crazy, Aaron." She smiled and hugged him, loving the feeling of his arms around her. 

He kissed the top of her head. "You know I'd only do the best for you. Besides, it wasn't too difficult." He smiled and sat her down in the living room before going to the kitchen and bringing out the plate of lasagna. 

"You're too much.. It smells amazing." 

"I'm glad." He cut her a piece and got some for himself. While they ate, he put on a movie for them to watch. 

"This is really nice.. I like being here with you, just with you." She leaned against him as she ate. 

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "As long as you're happy, that's all that matters."

Aaron was so sweet to her. Theodosia felt like the luckiest girl on the planet. She stayed curled against his side as she ate, enjoying his warmth. 

CC even came out and joined them, sitting in their laps and purring quietly. 

Aaron absentmindedly pet him as he finished eating, waiting for Theodosia. 

When she finished eating, she smiled and kissed his cheek. "It was delicious, thank you."

"Of course. Besides, you already made me the cake." 

She nodded. "Still. It's sweet."

He smiled and got up, excusing himself to the kitchen. He brought out the chocolate cake and a couple more plates, cutting a slice for them both. He sat down and ate, smiling as he took the first bite. "Wow, this is delicious."

"It was nothing.." She smiled shyly and ate with him. 

"This isn't nothing. It's great." He kissed her cheek and kept eating. Quiet nights in were the best thing to both of them, so relaxing and sweet that neither of them realized when they'd fallen asleep. Aaron didn't find out until his grandmother woke him up a little bit later. 

"Sorry, Aaron. You two looked so sweet, but you should take your binder off."

He nodded and sat up, stretching and being careful not to wake Theodosia up. "Thank you." He went to his room and changed, then went back and picked up Theodosia, carrying her to a guest bedroom. He checked her phone and texted her parents, letting her know that she was at a friend's house before going to bed. 

In the morning, he found Theodosia in the kitchen, making breakfast. Not only that, making sausage and eggs. 

"Theodosia, what are you doing?.."

She jumped a bit and turned, smiling a bit at him. "Hey.. I just... I wanted to make you some breakfast.." She was clearly disgusted by the smell. 

"You didn't have to. And you especially didn't have to make any meat or eggs.."

"I just... You do so much for me.. I want to repay you.."

He moved her away from the stove and turned off the flame, taking her out to the backyard. "You don't need to repay me, Theo.. I'm nice to you because I care for you, not because I want anything back."

She sighed. "I'm sorry.. I guess I'm still in the same mindset as I was when I was with Mark.."

"I understand.. Mark was awful to you and what he did was easily traumatic. I'm not upset at you for acting like you do, I understand what he did. But I'm going to help you and make sure that you're okay.."

She hugged him tightly. "Thank you.. You really were sent to save me."

"Oh, please, if either of us are an angel, it's definitely you."

She giggled. "You're crazy."

He shrugged. "Maybe a bit. Why don't we go inside and we can both make some breakfast?"

"Okay.." 

He went inside and got rid of the smell of the meat before helping her make strawberry waffles. He cut up the strawberries while she mixed the batter. "So, what time are we meeting at Jefferson Hall?"

"I think Alexander said 11, so we have a few hours."

"Great. I have time to take you to get ready, then."

She nodded and kept mixing, letting him mix in the strawberries. 

Aaron got the waffle iron ready and helped her mix the batter in before pouring it in. While they waited, he sat in the living room and groomed CC, brushing his fur out. "Do you mind getting the waffles when they're ready? I think I underestimated is fur."

She giggled and pet the cat's head. "No problem. I'll keep making them for you." She kissed his cheek and went to the kitchen, doing just that. 

When Aaron finished, he went with her and helped her with the rest. "This is nice.. I love spending time with you like this."

"Me too."

Once the waffles were ready, they sat and ate, leaving some in the fridge for his grandma, then left and went to Theodosia's house. He waited in the living room while she got ready, a man that looked a lot like Theodosia sitting beside him.

"So, you're Aaron."

"Yes sir."

"Theodosia has been talking about you lately. What happened to that Prevost guy that she was dating? I heard he got arrested."

"He did.. He wasn't a great guy."

"I can tell. What makes you think that you're any better?"

"I would never hurt Theodosia. As long as she's happy, I'm fine, even if it means she's not with me."

"So what you're saying is she might be happier without you?"

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Dad! Leave him alone, he's a nice guy. We can talk about this later."

He shrugged and got up. "Alright. I was just giving him a little talk."

Theodosia sighed and took Aaron's hand, leading him outside. "Sorry about my dad. You know how it is, dads with their daughters.."

"Trust me, I know. My dad gave me the same talk when I was a little kid." He chuckled, letting her in the car before getting in. 

"So.. If you don't mind my asking, what happened to your parents?.."

He sighed and started driving. "Well... They never accepted me when I came out. I knew I was trans when I was a little kid and they thought it was just a phase. I had to wear dresses and all that for years.. Until they passed away."

She frowned. "Oh, I'm so sorry.. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, it's okay. It was years ago, I can talk about it. I moved in with my grandmother after that and she accepted me without a second thought."

"That's good. I'm still sorry about your parents.."

"It's okay." He smiled softly and drove to Jefferson Hall. 

Alexander woke John up after he got ready and made breakfast, kissing his cheek and smiling. "Good morning, sunshine.."

He smiled and slowly woke up, sitting up. "Good morning.." He kissed his cheek and stretched before going to the kitchen. "You made breakfast? Thank you."

Alexander nodded. "Anything for my love." He smiled and gave John his plate. "Laf said he'll be here in half an hour."

"Thanks." He kept eating and texted Maria. [Hey, want to come over?]

[Sure! It's been a while since we just hung out <3]

[Great! My buddy Laf and Thomas's little sister are coming to hang with us.]

[Sounds good, I'll be over in a bit! See you then! <3]

"Looks like I'm going to have some more company." 

"Great. I don't want to just leave you alone.."

He turned and pecked his lips. "Thank you."

Alexander nodded and finished getting ready. "I'm catching a ride with Thomas... I'll try not to argue with him, I promise."

"As long as you guys don't argue over me. I know it's in your nature to argue sometimes."

He smiled. "You're an angel.." He sighed when Thomas got there and let John open the door. 

When he did, Lucy jumped into his arms and smiled. "Tommy says I can have a sleepover with you!"

"He did?" He looked at Thomas, who nodded in response. 

"She keeps begging me to and we're going to be working all weekend. There's no sense in taking her home only to bring her right back in the morning." And he didn't want to leave her at home with their mom and her boyfriend. 

"I'll take good care of her, then." He smiled and put her down, stepping outside with Alexander and Thomas. "You two know the rules. No physical fighting."

They both nodded. 

"We won't disappoint, sunshine."

"Good." He kissed both of their cheeks. "I love you guys.. I'll see you later." He couldn't help but smile at being able to love them both.

"I love you too." Thomas leaned down and kissed his cheek.

"I love you too." Alexander pecked his lips. 

They both walked down to Thomas's car and left. 

Minutes later, Maria walked over with Susan in her arms, smiling. "Hi."

"Hi. It's nice to hang with you again." He smiled and let her in.

Lucy looked up at her. "Who are you?"

"This is Maria, one of my friends. She's Susie's mom."

"You're pretty."

"Thank you." She knelt down and put Susan down, letting her go to Lucy. 

"Hi."

"Hi again."

She smiled and went to John with a backpack. "Johnny, I did like you said!" She showed him all of the valentine's in the bag and he chuckled. 

"You sure did."

"So you're the one who taught her that," Maria teased.

John simply shrugged. 

Lafayette got there a few minutes after and the day really began. 

Susan looked at the cases of makeup that Lafayette had brought with wide eyes, then looked at John for permission. 

"Why don't you ask him?"

She nodded and went over to Lafayette, tapping his leg. "Mr Laf?"

He smiled and knelt down. "What is it, little one?" 

"Can you do my makeup?"

"If it is okay with your mother, then yes."

She smiled and giggled, running to Maria. 

Lucy watched and asked John the same thing, so he texted Thomas. 

[Is Lucy allowed to wear makeup?]

[No. xx]

He tutted. "He said no."

"No! You can change his mind, can't you, Johnny?"

He nodded. "Just this once, okay?"

"Okay. I promise I'll be good!"

He smiled and messaged him again. [Please? I'll kiss you if you let her. <3]

[Tempting ; ) xx] [But no. xx] 

He thought for a second. [I'll let you choose how I look on our next date <3 Makeup, clothes, and hair. And I'll let you choose where we go.] 

Thomas sat down and thought it over. [Skirts included? xx]

[Definitely <3]

"Hmm..."

"Thomas, do you think you can get off your ass and help us?"

"I'm making an important decision, Hamilton." [Alright. xx] [Next date, I'm showing you off at a restaurant and making people jealous ; * xx]

John smiled. [Deal. <3] "I convinced him." 

"Yay!" She sat on the couch with John and let him do her makeup while Lafayette did Susan and Maria's before both guys did their own. 

By the time Theodosia and Aaron arrived at Jefferson Hall, there was already a crowd of freshman inside, sitting and waiting. 

Alexander smiled as he stood before them, waving as the last two of their help walked in. "I was just about to get started." He explained what they were doing and why they were doing it before letting everyone split into teams for decorations. There was furniture, wall decorations, hanging decorations, and a few master designers watching over everything. 

While they worked on everything, Hercules and his parents worked on their own projects. Of course, Sarah, who didn't give the boys much of a chance at keeping her still, were working on John's dress, occasionally going out to the front to check on Hugh as he worked the counter, and Hercules was working on the biggest project he'd ever taken on. And it wasn't even a paid one. 

"Careful with those stitches, Herky. You know what doesn't work with this material."

"I know, mom. Thanks. You just be careful that you don't stress out little Mini-gan." 

They didn't know what the baby's sex was and they wouldn't know until it was born, according to Sarah, so Mini-gan fit for boy or girl. Again, it was Alexander's idea. 

"Mini-gan is going to be just fine. I'm just making a gown." 

"If you say so." 

"Taffy is really going to like that dress. I know you're not even close to being done, but it is already one of your best works."

"Thanks, ma.. As long as he likes it, I'm happy."

Sarah smiled and kept working on her own project. She was going to make sure that she did an exceptional job on the dress, especially for Tommy to give to sweet little Johnny. She knew a thing or two about poly relationships, she ran into a few in Ireland and they were more than happy to explain it to her, and she knew the look in Tommy's eyes. It was nothing less than sweet. "What do you think about Tommy and Johnny together? While he's still with Ally, of course."

"Tommy? As in Thomas Jefferson?"

"Yeah! He's the one who commissioned this dress for him."

Hercules had to think for a second. Thomas Jefferson, who was their bully just last week, was now trying to date John and his mom shipped it. "I don't know.. I'm not exactly that guy's biggest fan. He gets along worse with Alexander."

"Personally, I think it's sweet. I know he and Johnny had a falling out, but it's nice to see them overcoming it."

... Hercules's mom knew, but he didn't? That kind of hurt. 

"He did tell you, didn't he?"

"Only last week.."

"Oh.. I'm sorry. The poor boy doesn't have anyone else to really talk to about this and he couldn't hide his emotions from me, no sir. Of course, he didn't want to tell me at first, but I talked him into telling me everything. Poor boy felt awful about freaking out like he did and Tommy was a bit too harsh for my liking, but I see that they've patched things up."

... What? "Alright, you're going to need to explain a few things to me. What did John say happened between them?"

Sarah told Hercules the whole story, the true story that John had been denying before.

"Oh... Wow.. That changes a lot.. I'm going to have to have a few strong words with him before I trust him anywhere near John, but it is his relationship. As long as he's happy, I guess it's all cool."

"Well, I think it's sweet. If they become official, I'm going to have to give that boy a stern talking to. I should do the same to Ally. Johnny's been through too much for me to let him get hurt anymore."

Hercules smiled. Sarah was like John's second mom in her own eyes. John wanted to deny it for the same reason that Alexander denied that Martha was his adoptive mom, because nobody could ever replace his real mother, but Sarah was okay with that. She didn't need the title to make sure her boy was happy. 


	56. Chapter 56

And, sitting in a circle with a few friends, he was. Everyone was looking over their finished makeovers proudly, especially Lucy, who was new to the whole thing. 

"Show Tommy how pretty I am!" she begged as she bounced in place. 

John smiled and took a picture of her, sending it to Thomas. [She only cares what you think, no other boys are mentioned]

As much as he was against the idea, he couldn't help but smile at the caption and at how happy Lucy looked. [Good, no other boy should see her when she's this beautiful xx] [Besides you, of course xx]

He sent a picture of himself to Thomas and Alex separately with the same caption. [Laf is an artist!]

Thomas chuckled and gave Aaron the phone. "Here, take a picture of me when I say." He laid down on the ground as if he'd passed out. 

"You're a strange man, Thomas Jefferson." He took the picture anyways and gave back the phone. 

Thomas sent the picture as it was. 

Alexander didn't know what to say or do, his boyfriend was too gorgeous for words. [U r prfecshun! I dont deserve u]

John responded to him first, too busy giggling at Thomas's picture to respond. [Trust me, you deserve me. <3]

Alexander smiled and got back to work.

John responded to Thomas. [I guess I should never send these pictures again, then? : P]

[I'd rather actually die than hear those words again ; ) xx] [I gotta go help Burr, I'll see you later, beautiful xx]

Lafayette sent his own picture to Hercules.

[How did I get lucky enough to find a datemate like you? ; )] [You're going to look so stunning at the dance, nobody but me will be able to look at you without fainting.] 

[If that is true, it will be because of your dress more than anything else.]

[Baby, you're beautiful! Don't forget that.]

He smiled and went to his bag, where Rosie had been sleeping and was now trying to escape. 

The second that he let her out, Lucy squealed and ran over, picking her up. "A kitten!"

She mewled, displeased, and Lafayette took her back before she could hurt Lucy or before Lucy hurt her. 

"You must be careful with her. She is just as alive as you and me. You wouldn't want someone picking you up and shaking you around, would you?"

"No.. Sorry kitty..."

"Her name is Rosie. Here you go. Nice and gentle." 

She carefully held the kitten and pet her head. "Hi.. I'm Lucy."

Susan came over and pet her back, giggling. "Hi, kitty."

John smiled and took a picture, sending it to his boyfriends. [This is how I die. Cuteness overload.]

[Surprised I'm not dead yet, then ; ) xx]

[Ur so much cutr tho]

He chuckled. They were so similar in some ways, especially when it came to John. 

He and everyone else sat and watched movies for essentially the rest of the day, as if it were a girl's day in. Around 6, Thomas and Alexander got to the apartment and John buzzed them in, despite everyone else protesting.

"Hey, Sunsh-" Thomas was interrupted by everyone besides John throwing pillows at him. 

"No boys!"

"This is a girl's day!"

Alexander laughed until he was also assaulted with flying pillows. 

John laughed and stepped outside with them. "Sorry. You know how it is, girls day in."

"... But you're a boy, aren't you?" Alexander asked. 

"Yeah, but I qualify. They said I'm pretty enough." He smiled proudly. 

"I could've told you that, hon." Thomas winked and John rolled his eyes. 

"Alright. You guys heard the rules. No boys besides me." He waved them off.

Thomas tutted. "Alright, but you owe me a date tomorrow."

"I know and we'll be disbursed by tomorrow at three, at the latest."

"I'll see you then."

John nodded. "And I'll see you later, too." He kissed Alexander's cheek. 

"I'll see you Monday." He smiled and pecked his lips, frowning a bit when Thomas did the same. It hurt seeing his boyfriend, his John, kissing another guy. But he wasn't about to complain about it. He made John happy and that was all that matters. 

John also wanted Alexander to be happy, though, and he could see that he clearly wasn't. 

"Hamilton, are you coming? I'll take you home."

"Yeah.."

"Actually," John said, "Can you give us a minute? I want to talk to him."

Thomas nodded and went downstairs, waiting outside of his car and taking a smoke break. 

John pulled Alexander into a hug and kissed his cheek. "Are you sure you're okay with this?.."

"Yeah.. I just.. It's going to take some getting used to."

"You know I still love you, right? I love you just as much not as I did before I realized I loved him too."

"I know.. It's just kind of weird after everything that happened."

John nodded. "I get it. He's not pushing you out of the picture, I swear that much to you."

Alexander buried his face in his chest. "Can we talk about this alone? Before you go out with him tomorrow?"

"Of course we can. I'll probably need to borrow something to wear from Laf, anyways." He kissed the top of his head. "I'll see you then."

"Okay... Am I bad for being jealous? Like... I know I promised I wouldn't be, but I can't stop it and I'm sorry.. I shouldn't be jealous after-"

"Hey.. Slow down there. I understand if you're kind of jealous.. You're really doing a lot for me through this.. But nothing is going to change, I swear. I still love you just as much as before and nothing's ever going to stop that." He pulled away from the hug and kissed him. 

Alexander melted against his lips. John always made him feel better and kissing John always made the world feel alright again. Whether or not John was dating Thomas, nothing could take that away from him. When he pulled away, he smiled. "Thank you..."

"Anytime." He pecked his lips one more time before watching him go downstairs, then going back inside. 

Alexander looked better as he went to Thomas, tutting as he saw him smoking. "Does John know you do that?"

"Yeah. Got a problem with it?" He stomped out the cigarette before getting in the car, Alexander getting in the passenger's seat. 

"It smells disgusting and secondhand smoke kills. I don't want John to die."

"Says the man who left him alone when he had a panic attack to the one who makes sure he's away from John before smoking."

Alexander grumbled. "Stop holding that over my head!"

"I could hold a lot of things over your head, Hamilton. My point is I'm pretty sure John hated having a panic attack for hours while you exposed his life to the public, then having to lie about it a whole lot more than some bad habit." Thomas had half a mind to start smoking in his car to prove a point had he not remembered that Lucy's booster seat was in the backseat. The last thing he wanted was for her to begin smelling like smoke because he wanted to be petty. 

"And I'm pretty sure that I hate the fact that my boyfriend likes someone else even more than all of that combined, but you don't see me kicking your ass to the curb."

Thomas sighed. "You're impossible. You do realize that I'm not a threat to your relationship, right? John's not leaving you for me, he made that clear. He loves you."

"And he loves you."

"And we love him. Lord knows I'd love for him to drop you, even before you added me in, but I'm not going to make him because, for some unknown reason, having you around makes him happy and that's all I care about. I don't give a damn about you and you don't give a damn about me. There'll be hell to pay if you make John suffer for it, that's a promise."

Alexander went quiet. He didn't know if it was because Thomas scared him or because he was right, but he went quiet. 

"Look. I'm not going to lay a hand on you, I promised John I'd back off. But if I hear you hurt him again, you won't be so lucky. He wouldn't hurt you no matter what you did. You screw up, I'll kick your ass. I screw up, Lafayette kicks my ass. So we both work to make John happy. We're dating him, that's our job. Get it?"

"Of course I want to make John happy. I'm not the one that tried to rape him."

"I did not try to rape him. I'd never do that, not to him."

"You tried to rape me."

"I hate you."

"Great excuse."

Thomas gritted his teeth. At least he was trying to fix his mistakes. Alexander was just trying to excuse his. "Look, we're at your place. Get out."

Alexander gladly did just that, getting out and slamming the door shut. 

Thomas drove off and went home.

"Where's Lucy? I thought you were watching her?" Kevin asked as soon as he walked through the door. 

He guessed his mom was home. "She's sleeping over with some friends. I just want to go to my room, alright?"

"Thomas, treat him with a little more respect." 

"Come on, mom, I'm tired. I've had a long day."

She sighed. "Alright, fine. Go upstairs." 

He went upstairs and took a long, hot shower, then collapsed into his bed. Things were still so complicated. 

John ordered pizza for his sleepover and helped Lucy clean the makeup off of her face before eating with everyone.

"Johnny, are you and Tommy dating again? He seems all happy like he did when he dated you before."

John smiled. "I think we are."

She pouted. "You get two boyfriends?.. Why can't I have one?"

"Because having a boyfriend is a lot of responsibility. Sure, there's the fun of having him carry your books and give you compliments, but you have to make sure he's happy, too. And, don't tell him I told you this, but most girls date once they're about my age."

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen. I began dating when I was sixteen."

She counted on her fingers. "How many more years is that?"

"Ten, but it'll go by really fast if you're a good girl. If you keep being mean to the kids at school, then it'll take longer."

"Why?"

"Because growing up is all about learning from your mistakes and the more mistakes you make, the more learning you have to do." 

She nodded, completely trusting him. "Why did Tommy say I can't date until I'm thirty? I'll be old by then!"

John chuckled. "Its because not all boys are princes. Some are really mean and they don't really like you and they hurt your feelings. He just wants to make sure that you don't get hurt."

"I understand.." After a few seconds, she had one more question. "How did you know I was being mean?.. They only tell mommy and mean Mr Kevin because they're grownups."

John always had an answer to that one. "Santa Claus told me."

She gasped. "You know Santa?!"

Susan came over. "Yeah! He helps Santa get my toys."

John nodded. "It's true."

"Wow! I promise I'll be better!"

"That's great. You know he's always watching." 

She nodded and took her plate from John once he finished cleaning off her makeup. 

Maria smiled and sat with John. "You are such a mom."

"This coming from an actual mom."

"I'm serious. And I don't mean it in a bad way. You're so good with kids, no wonder Susan and Lucy love you."

Lafayette nodded in agreement. "It's true."

He chuckled. "Thanks, guys.."

"On an unrelated note, when did you start dating Thomas?"

"Yesterday.. Alexander knows how I feel about him and asked him to kind of join in.. So, we're going on a date tomorrow."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?.." Maria asked quietly, Lafayette seeming just as worried. 

"He's different. I know he is. I trust him."

"You know that if he hurts you, I will kill him," Lafayette promised.

"That won't be necessary. I really like him.. He made some bad mistakes, but he's past that. I know he is."

They looked at each other, still a bit unsure, but they ultimately decided to trust John and, by extension, trust Thomas. Still, they'd be keeping an eye on him.

After a night of pizza eating and Disney movie watching, everyone fell asleep on the floor. In the morning, Maria had to leave for work, but everyone else stayed in the apartment. While Lafayette took Rosie out for a walk, John made breakfast and fed the girls, eating with them. When Lafayette came back in, he asked him to keep an eye on the girls. 

"I've so been slacking on my art. I want to work on it today, if that's alright with you."

"Of course. These two are angels." He smiled and waved John off. 

"You're a lifesaver." He went to his room and shut the door behind him as he began painting. Like James said, he was painting to go with a supernatural theme, sticking with mainly ghosts and spirits. All of the paintings were done in warm grays and very little color, an eerie feeling in the room as he put them all around to dry. So much so that when Susan walked in, she burst into tears. John picked her up and took her out, rocking her. "It's not real, it's just my painting. I promise You're okay."

She sniffled and cried on his shoulder for a minute.

"What did you need, sweetie?"

"Mr Laf told me to tell you it was lunchtime.."

"Okay. I'll be over there in a second." He kissed her cheek and put her down when she was finished crying, sending her back to the kitchen. 

John went back and cleaned up his paints, then locked his bedroom door and went to the kitchen, finding that Lafayette had actually cooked something. "Oh, thanks, Laf. You could've just ordered out, I could've paid."

"Nonsense, it was no trouble. Come eat." 

John wasn't going to argue with food. He sat in the living room and ate with everyone else, taking a break. By the time that Alexander had gotten there, he'd practically forgotten his paintings in favor of Lafayette's amazing cooking. He hopped to his feet and buzzed Alexander in, then went and checked on the paint while he waited for him to get to the apartment. 

Lafayette answered the door and smiled. "Hello. Sorry, John just went back to his room to put up his paintings." He let Alexander in and shut the door behind him. 

He waved at the girls as they sat on the couch, but was more concerned with getting to his boyfriend. He went back to his bedroom and felt a chill go down his spine as he pushed the door open. "Hey.."

John smiled and turned to him, going and hugging him. "Hey. Sorry about the mess.. Let's go to the other room."

Alexander didn't even know John had another room. He assumed that door led to some closet, but no. There was a whole other bedroom, this one with plastic all over the ground and clay and a bunch of other materials in the corner. "What's that trashcan in here for?" It would've been easy to ignore had it been a regular kitchen trash can and not a full sized, metal garbage can. 

"It's a furnace. I couldn't really afford a real one, so I made that one. It's good for metal and for firing clay, so yeah."

"Metal?"

"Yeah, melting metal and making new works out of it. That's why I put it in the room with the balcony, to let the fumes out."

"Oh.. Anyways, I'm sorry.."

"For what?"

"I shouldn't be so jealous... I talked about it with Thomas and I get it.. I shouldn't be this jealous of him.."

"Oh, honey.. It's okay to be a little jealous sometimes.. That's why I didn't tell you I wanted to be with Thomas, because I didn't want you to think that it meant getting you out of the picture.. That's not what I want at all. I love you just as much as I love him."

Alexander smiled. "I love you too.." He leaned up and kissed John, sighing contently.

John hummed into the kiss and wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. He never wanted to lose Alex, not in a million years. Alexander was his other half and Thomas was the missing piece in his heart. He loved them both in the same way, but in different ways, in a way that he could hardly describe. But he didn't have to describe it because they understood. Without a word, they both understood. "I'm so lucky.." he muttered as he pulled away. 

"Oh, come on, you're not nearly as lucky as I am. I get to date you." He smiled. 

John chuckled. "Let's agree to disagree.." He checked the time. "I should get ready soon.. Do you mind?"

"Of course not. You have your date with Thomas and I can hang out with Laf and Susan at home." Again, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a bit jealous, but it was a lot more manageable than it was before. John loved him, he knew he did. Making sure Thomas wouldn't get in the way of that was the true problem. 

John kissed his cheek before walking off, going to the bathroom and taking a shower, then getting dressed in a plain shirt and shorts. He even shaved his legs, just like he had for his date with Alexander. 

Once he was ready, Lafayette drove everyone to their house, even taking Lucy and Susan over after John told Thomas and Maria. The girls went up to his room and Alexander and John waited in Alexander's room, laying in his bed. 

"I'm glad to see you've been taking care of Squirtle."

"Of course I have been. I love him almost as much as I love you."

John kissed his forehead and sighed. "This is nice.. Just laying here, in the quiet." 

Alexander nodded and cuddled against him.


	57. Chapter 57

Their quiet lasted for about half an hour until Thomas arrived. He went upstairs after being let in by Lafayette and knocked on Alexander's door after being led. "Are you in there, sunshine?"

John looked down at Alexander, who nodded and let him go. "Yeah, I'm here. I'll be out in a minute." He tilted Alexander's head up and kissed him softly.

Alexander pulled away after a minute and smiled a bit. "You're going to be late.. And I don't want him to burst in here."

John chuckled and pecked his lips, then got up and left, stepping out of the room. "Hey, Thomas."

"Hey, sunshine." He kissed the top of his head. "Remember your side of the deal?"

"I know, I know. Laf said you can pick out something from his clothes."

"Great." He smiled and walked with him to Laf's room, where he was letting the girls do his makeup.

He looked up and waved as they walked in. "You have free range of anything in my closet and the top two drawers of my dresser."

"Thanks, Laf." Thomas began looking through the clothes and John waited with Laf.

After a few minutes, he picked out a white pleated skirt and a black button up shirt with some heels. 

"No, I don't do heels. I've never worn them and I don't think it's a good idea to start now."

"Alright. Flats it is, then." He let John just wear his black converse, then let him go change.

When he finished changing, he went back out to Thomas, who smiled widely. 

"Look at you. You are absolutely stunning." He took John's hand and spun him around before stopping and kissing his hand. "You are the picture of perfection."

John blushed at the onslaught of compliments, not knowing how to respond.

"Are you ready to go, gorgeous?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." 

Thomas smiled and walked downstairs with him, stopping when he heard his name being called. 

"Thomas Jefferson. What do you think you're doing here?" Martha asked, making him shudder.

John stepped between them. "It's alright, Martha. I know Thomas did a lot to Alexander, but he'd cool now."

"I am, I promise. I know what I did was wrong and I'd never try to hurt Alexander or Lafayette or John. Lafayette's my friend now."

"Right and he's my boyfriend too now. It was Alexander's idea."

She crossed her arms. "John, are you sure this is a good idea? He tried to hurt you. And Alexander."

"I'm sure. I know I don't always make the best decisions, but this isn't one of those times. You'd be amazed at how much Thomas has changed in the past week."

He nodded. "I know you won't forgive me for what I did to Alexander, I don't forgive me, but I'm trying to make things better. If I screw up, I've promised to let John crucify me himself."

She thought for a second, tapping her fingers against her arm, then sighed. "If George hears about this, John, he won't like it."

"I know.. He isn't dating Alexander, just me. And I'm dating them both.."

"Okay.. I trust you. I know you've made mistakes, but you're a smart boy." 

Alexander had spoken to her and George on what he wrote in the Laurens pamphlet and, to be frank, they believed John's lie without a second thought. After all of the stunts that Alexander had pulled, they believed that making up that kind of story was probably something that Alexander would actually do, whether or not he meant to hurt someone. 

"Thank you." John smiled. "I'll see you later." He waved at her before leaving with Thomas. 

"Alright, that's the second close call on my life. Who else wants to hang me?"

"Probably just George, but Lafayette and Martha can deal with him."

"That's not unsettling at all," he joked, opening the car door for John before getting in and driving. 

"So, where are we going?"

"Just this fancy restaurant on the other side of town. Maybe a movie after, if you're up for it."

"That sounds good." John smiled. "So, Alexander says you guys are planning a surprise for me. Something that you'll show me at the dance on Friday?"

He nodded. "Key word being surprise. And it was mainly his idea, for the record. You'll love it."

John nodded, a bit surprised by the response. Just last week, if Thomas had had the chance, he would have passed the idea off as his own without much of a second thought. He was starting to change for the better. "Can you give me a hint?"

"Nope. Sorry, it's not mine to give. Just know that it'll be great and you'll love it. Alexander really does love you.."

"And I love him, just like how I love you." He leaned over and kissed his cheek as they stopped at a red light, making him smile. 

"You're the sweetest thing... I really don't deserve someone like you."

"Don't talk like that. You can be just as sweet when you want to."

"Only for you and Lucy." He returned the quick kiss before driving again. 

John nodded. "So.. What's up with Jay?.. I haven't heard from him since I broke his nose."

"To be frank, he's pissed, but I can handle him. The guy's got gossip on everyone, but I wouldn't be worried about yourself, if I were you.."

"You think he's after Alexander?.."

"That's if he's after anyone. He's pretty mild mannered, doesn't get riled up too easily. He may be over all of this stupidity. But, if he wants to ruin anyone's rep, it's probably going to be him.. Especially after you already said the whole pamphlet was a lie, he's a lot easier to ruin."

"I get it.."

"But don't feel bad. You had to do what you had to do for the kids. He shouldn't have written the thing in the first place."

John simply nodded. He agreed, like he always had, but he wasn't going to say anything bad about Alexander. He had good intentions, just an awful execution. That seemed to be a growing problem among the group. 

When they arrived at the restaurant, Thomas got out of the car, then went to the other side and opened the door for John, taking his hand and leading him out and inside. After such a serious talk, it was time to make sure that John was spoiled and happy. He made sure they were sat in a dimly lit booth in the corner and sat right next to him, putting his arm around his waist. 

John gladly leaned against him as he skimmed over the menu.

"Pick whatever you want. This is your time to be my prince." He kissed the top of his head. 

John smiled a bit at the cheesy line. It was so Thomas. "Thanks." He kissed his cheek sat up straight as the waiter came by and took their drink orders. John just ordered an iced tea, but Thomas ordered wine. 

"Are you sure you didn't want any?"

"I'm sure. I really can't take my alcohol."

"Alright." He smiled and let his hand rest on John's knee. "Is this okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine." He smiled. 

"Good." He kissed his cheek and kept looking over the menu until the waiter came back with their drinks and took their orders. 

As they waited for their food, Thomas moved his hand back to being around John's waist and held him close. "I've missed this... I really missed you.."

"You may have mentioned that a couple times before," John joked. 

"Because I mean it. I really do love you, John." He held him a bit closer. "I'm not screwing this up again."

"I don't want this to end either. I love you too and I love being with you."

Those few words filled Thomas with more joy and love than anyone could ever understand. He may have been an egotistical jock on the outside, but he was a pure romantic on the inside. "You are so perfect.."

"I am not perfect.."

"You're perfect for me."

John kept blushing. Thomas had a way with words. When he wasn't using them to tear anyone down, he could use them to raise John up to the top of the world. He truly felt like the center of Thomas's universe anytime he spoke. "You're such a flirt.."

Thomas chuckled. "Can't deny that. But I promise that I'll only be Flirty Tommy around you from now on since you like him so much." He placed a few ticklish kisses to John's cheek and jaw, making him giggle. 

"You are impossible to be around in public, I swear."

"All I'm doing is showing my gorgeous boyfriend how much I love him. Trust me, if I wanted to be more embarrassing I could be."

"And, for my sake, I'll take your word on that."

He nodded and kept flirting with him. It made John laugh and boosted his confidence and Thomas loved doing it. Genuine compliments came just as naturally as cheesy or dirty pickup lines when it came to John. He was just so easy to talk to.

When their food actually got there, Thomas let him go and gave him his space as they both began eating. 

"This is really good food. I'm having a great time, Thomas."

He smiled. "I'm glad. That's all I wanted."

There was that stupid blush again. John hid it as best as he could by taking another sip of his drink. The last thing that Thomas needed when it came to flirting was encouragement. "Thank you.." 

"Anytime." There was much more silence as the pair ate, the occasional offer of a bite of food or a sip of John's tea being made. It was quiet, but romantic. That only ended once they both finished eating and walked out, Thomas's arm around John's waist as he led him back to the car. 

"Still in the mood for a movie?"

"Definitely." He smiled and got in the car, buckling his seat belt as Thomas went around and got in the other side. "So, when are you guys performing the musical?"

"A couple weeks from now. We're doing a show Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and I'm giving you a pass so you can go to all of them." He smiled and gave him the tickets that Eacker had passed out, ones that let someone in all three nights. 

"Thank you." He kissed his cheek and looked in the envelope. 

"You can bring Alexander with you, if you want. He can have the second pass."

He smiled. "He likes Heathers. I'm sure he'll love to go. And I'm sure you'll do great."

"Thanks, sunshine."

The theater was a much shorter drive away. When they got there, Thomas let John pick the movie and went with him inside, passing the bar on the way. 

"Are you sure you don't want a drink? I could always just get you some soda and popcorn, if you don't."

"Well.." John knew how he could be when he was drunk, but he also trusted Thomas not to take advantage of him. "Alright."

So, Thomas, looking older than he was, got them both a drink before taking John to the theater and sitting with him in the top row. He gave John his glass and sat with him quietly as the movie began. 

John smiled and drank his drink as the movie went on, quickly feeling a buzz. Just what had Thomas ordered to drink? He shrugged it off and enjoyed it, leaning against Thomas once he finished downing it. 

Thomas put his arm around his shoulders and held him close as they watched the movie, drinking his own drink. 

A few minutes later, John began shifting, moving so he was sitting in Thomas's lap with his head against his chest. 

"What are you doing?" Thomas whispered. 

"Cuddling.." John whispered back, curling up in his lap. 

Thomas glanced over at his arm rest and picked up his empty glass. "You really can't take your alcohol..." He looked back down and found John finishing his drink. "... Uh oh.." He didn't want to take the glass away from him and cause a scene in the theater, so he let him finish it. He could handle a drunk John Laurens. At least, he hoped he could. 

John stayed curled up against Thomas's chest. After a few more minutes, he leaned up and poked his cheek. "Tommy?" he whispered. 

"What is it, sunshine?"

"Can I have a kiss?"

"Not right now."

He pouted and sat up. "Please?.."

Any other time, Thomas would've jumped at the opportunity. But the fact that John was drunk... "Maybe we should go ahead and go home.."

"Did I do something wrong?.."

Thomas shook his head. "The movie is a bit boring."

"Okay." He seemed satisfied by that response and at least was able to keep his manners as they got up and left to Thomas's car. He stumbled a bit, but nothing that drew too much attention. 

Thomas helped John into the car and got in himself. "Ready to go home?"

John nodded and leaned against the car door, smiling softly. 

Thomas drove them to John's apartment and took him inside, starting to realize that it wasn't his best idea. "Do you want to spend the night with me? That way you're not alone?"

John smiled and hugged him, basically just falling against him and wrapping his arms around him. "Yes."

"Alright. Go get what you need for school and I'll wait here."

"Okay." He stumbled to his room and grabbed his backpack, knowing what he'd need, and grabbed a change of clothes, stuffing it in there. "Ready!" he sang as he came back out to the living room where Thomas was. 

"Alright. Let's go." He helped him back to the car and drove to his house, walking with him around to the back and putting a ladder against the balcony. He practically carried John up and helped him onto the balcony. "Sorry.. I really don't want Kevin to know I brought you here drunk."

"He's such a jerk! Like you last week? But he's more mean because he hates Lucy!"

"I know, sunshine. Can you be quiet for me?"

John nodded and zipped his lips, humming as Thomas opened the door and let John in. 

"Great. You can take a shower and wait for me, but you have to promise to stay quiet while I'm gone. Otherwise, you have to go home."

"Noo!" John whispered dramatically. "I'll be quiet." 

"Thank you." He leaned down to kiss his forehead and John tilted his head up, puckering his lips. He sighed and quickly pecked his lips. He felt a bit nervous about kissing him when he was drunk. After the quick peck, he went back to the balcony and climbed down the ladder, going back to his car and going to get Lucy. 

When he got to their house, George was the one who opened the door and Thomas probably visibly shrunk down. 

"Jefferson."

"Hello Mr Washington..."

"Martha told me about your relationship with John and how you and Lafayette are friends. Let me just give you a quick warning. If I hear about you hurting any of my boys, including John or Hercules, you will regret it. Do I make myself clear?"

"C-Crystal... I'm just here to pick up my sister. Lafayette was watching her while I was out with John."

He nodded and stepped aside, letting Thomas in. 

He went upstairs and found them sitting around Laf, a mess of makeup splattered on his face and Susan looking distressed over it while Lucy looked proud. 

"We made him pretty, Tommy!"

"... You sure did.." He held back a bit of laughter. "Come on, Lucy. We have to get home."

She nodded and hopped to her feet, going and taking Thomas's hand and following him out to the car. While he buckled her in and drove her home, she told him all about all of the fun that she had with everyone, just as she usually did, and Thomas nodded along, deciding against telling her about the drunken John in his room. 

When they arrived back at the house, he walked in and faked a polite smile to his mom and her fucktoy before going up to his room, Lucy not even trying to hide her dislike from him as she did the same. 

He walked into his room and found John sprawled across his bed in a tee shirt and his boxers. "Is that all you're wearing, sunshine?"

"It's too hot for pants," he whined, getting up and going over to Thomas. He hugged him around his waist. "I missed you.."

"I missed you too. Let's watch a movie, okay?"

He nodded. "Carry me?"

Thomas chuckled and scooped John up, taking him over to the bed and sitting with him.

John smiled and leaned against him, sitting in his lap again. "You're comfy, like a huge teddy bear."

"I am?"

"Yeah. I love laying with you. We don't have to do more than this and kissing, right?.."

"No, of course not. Nothing more until you're ready. I'll still love you."

"Good! I had a dream that you said you didn't love me anymore because I didn't want to..."

Thomas gently grabbed John's shoulders and looked at him. "That would never happen. Okay? I love you for you, sunshine. I don't need to make love to you to feel that."

"Promise?.."

"I swear on my life."

John smiled sweetly and shifted so he was straddling Thomas's waist. "Can I kiss you?"

"Um... Alright.. But just kissing."

He nodded and leaned up, pressing his lips against Thomas's.

Thomas sighed and let his eyes fall shut, moving his lips against John's as they kissed. God, he'd missed that. And Alexander was right. John made wine taste like heaven, especially Virginian wine. He wouldn't try getting him drunk like that on purpose, but he might ask him to take a sip or two just to get that taste. 

John smiled as he pulled away. "I love your kisses.."

"I love your kisses too. And I love you."

John giggled and kissed his nose. "I love you too." He smiled and played with his hair a bit. "I love your hair.. But it's always so hard to draw! It's too curly and puffy."

He chuckled. "Sorry. If I could make my hair easier to draw, I would. Can you quiet down a little bit?"

"Yes sir." He lowered his voice and smiled, turning back around to watch the movie. 

Thomas played with John's hair as he watched it, putting little braids into it before taking them out again and just holding him. 

John hummed contently and shifted a bit, wincing. "Ow.."

"What is it?"

John pouted and lifted his shirt, showing Thomas a huge, dark bruise below his ribs. 


	58. Chapter 58

“Sunshine, when did that happen?”

“Monday…” he muttered. “Are you mad at me?..”

“No, of course I’m not mad at you. Your dad did that?”

He nodded.

“Why is it so dark?.. It looks painful.. Didn’t Alex see it?”

John frowned and hid his face in Thomas’s chest. “I told him it was nothing.. I lied…”

Thomas ran a hand over his back. “It hurts that badly? What happened?..”

John shook his head quickly and began tearing up. “I can’t tell… Because then you’ll make me go to the hospital and-and people will find-find out and-and they’ll make my siblings go away!”

“Shh, shh, come here..” Thomas pulled him into a tight hug, careful with his ribs and trying to quiet him down as he cried. “I promise I won’t tell anyone as long as you promise me that you’ll let it get better… What happened?..”

John sniffled. “My rib’s broken.. but it happened before and I-I read online it heals itself.. I promise I’ll get better…”

“John, that sounds serious..”

“No,” he whined. “I’ll be okay…”

Thomas frowned. He was stuck in a dilemma. Either he made sure John got proper care that, according to him, wasn’t even necessary or he risked breaking his trust by proving that the Laurens Pamphlet wasn’t the lie that he claimed. “I’ll… I’ll think about it.. but you have to promise me that you’ll be careful.”

He nodded quickly. “I promise.. It was feeling better, but it started hurting again after me and Alexander had sex…” he admitted, whispering the word sex as if he were a child again saying a dirty word. “… Does that make you mad?..”

“No, of course not. Alex is your boyfriend too. I can’t stop making you have sex with him just as I can’t make you have sex with me, but you can’t do anything like that again.. Not until you get better…”

John nodded. He was drunk, but he seemed to be completely coherent.

“Good.. I don’t want you to get hurt any worse that you already are..” He kissed the top of his head. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

He shook his head. “No more bruises.”

“Good..” He checked the time. It was already almost 8. “I’m going to take a shower and get ready for tomorrow. Wait for me here, okay?”

John nodded.

Thomas kissed his cheek and moved him off of his lap, then went to the bathroom. When he came back, drying his hair out, John was fast asleep under the covers. He smiled at the sweet sight and got in the bed beside him, falling asleep with him.

John groaned as the morning rolled around, not hungover, but not wanting to go to school. Still, when he opened his eyes and saw Thomas laying right beside him, he couldn’t help but smile a bit. He’d been such a gentleman the night before. He sat up and stretched, going to the bathroom and changing into his school clothes.

When he came out, Thomas was just finishing up doing the same, smiling when he saw John come out of the bathroom. “Good morning, sunshine..”

“Good morning. Thanks for last night.. I did not think I’d get that drunk off of one drink.”

“Well, you did finish my drink, too.”

John blushed, embarrassed. “Oh, god, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he chuckled. “You weren’t too bad.” He went over and kissed his cheek. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah. I’m ready.”

“Great. Let me just finish up. Wait for me here.” He went to the bathroom and finished getting ready, then went to John to help him back down the ladder.

“So, what’s with the ladder?” John asked as he swung his leg over the balcony.

“That dumbass Kevin. He’ll claim that anything’s whatever and my mom will take his side. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine.” He got his other leg over and reached an arm out for Thomas.

He came closer and smiled when John pulled him into a kiss, even if it was only a short one.

“I’ll walk to school, no problem, okay?”

“Alright. I’ll see you in class.” He smiled and watched him climb down and leave before pushing the ladder back down.

After driving Lucy to school, Thomas went to find John behind the school, tutting as he saw Alexander already going up to him. He left before he was seen and went somewhere else to smoke before school.

Alexander stopped a few feet from John, smiling as he painted. “Good morning.”

John smiled under his bandana and put down the paint can for a minute, going to Alexander. “Good morning.”

“How was your date with Thomas?”

“Not bad. We got dinner, went to the movies, nothing major.” He left out the part where he got drunk in fear of Alexander taking it too seriously. “It was fun, though.”

“Well, I’m glad you had fun, then.”

He nodded. “How about you? What did you do last night?”

“Nothing special. Just GTA.” He shrugged.

“Sorry…”

“Don’t be.” He leaned up and kissed his cheek. “It’s totally fine with me.”

He smiled a bit. “Thanks for being so understanding…”

“Thanks for being you.” He watched as John went back to the wall and kept painting. He still hated Thomas and he still wished that John would just stop liking him… But it became a bit easier to deal with it everyday. Who knew? Maybe one day, he could actually get used to Thomas being there. There was no chance of a relationship blossoming between the two, he knew it, but they could at least get used to each other.

When it was time for class to start, they went inside and sat in their usual places, Thomas sitting on the other side of John for once. Other than that, it was a normal day of class. Everyone hated Adams’s boring lecture and would’ve preferred to be anywhere else.

Once the torture was over, John walked away to his own class, leaving Thomas and Alexander to walk together. Or, that was probably what he assumed would happen. The thought didn’t occur to either of them and they walked separately to class, Alexander trailing behind and sitting with Lafayette once he got there.

“What’s going on with you, John, and Thomas? I got John’s side of the story, but what’s yours?” he asked once Alexander sat down and got settled.

“Well, there’s not really anything to tell. John loves Thomas like he loves me and he didn’t want to do something himself, so I told Thomas and, now, we’re both dating John.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Kind of.. I don’t like Thomas, but it makes John happy..”

He nodded. “I see..”

“It’s not like he’s making me do this or I feel like I have to. John made sure I knew that he didn’t want to force me into it.”

“That sounds like him, but it’s not him that I’m worried about.”

“Thomas has been alright.. He’s making sure that I don’t screw up and he said you’re here to make sure he doesn’t screw up.”

Lafayette chuckled. “He’s got that right.”

Alexander smiled. “I’ll be okay. It’s just going to take some getting used to.”

Eacker scrambled in, late as usual, and started the class.

Once it was time for lunch, John sat with Alexander and Thomas sat with his usual friends, not wanting to raise too many suspicions from John Jay.

“Talk to me, JJ.”

He just looked away from him.

“Are you still pissy about John?”

He glared at him.

“What did I do? You were the one who thought it was a good idea to 420 Alexander.”

He growled and looked away again, bitterly eating.

Thomas sighed. “You are impossible.”

Lafayette glanced over at them, then back at John. “Are you sure about this?.. He still talks to John Jay..”

“What exactly is there between you guys and Thomas right now?”

“We’re kind of dating.. And I’m sure about this.”

Hercules’s eyes went wide. “Woah, timeout, when did this become a thing?”

“Friday.. And I made sure Alexander was okay with me dating them both.. We even went on a date yesterday. Just dinner and a movie.”

“Jack.. Are you really sure about this? After what he tried last year?”

“He didn’t do anything.. I know what I said, but it was exaggerated.. I said what I did because I had a lot of anxiety surrounding what happened… He never tried to assault me, he just got a bit too handsy for my liking… And, after, he was only mad because I made myself the victim and I never spoke to him again..”

“Oh.. Wow.. That’s a way different story..”

“I know. But, to me, what I said was what happened… Does that make sense?”

He nodded. “What about a few weeks ago?”

“He knows it was wrong.. He was trying to get Alexander out of the way and, eventually, you guys.. I’m definitely not excusing it, and I made that clear to him, but I think he’s serious about this..”

Hercules sighed. He was never going to be sure about Thomas, but it wasn’t his place to tell John who he could or couldn’t be with.

Lafayette wasn’t as unsure, though he was far from approving of Thomas. After all, compared to how easily he hurt other people, Thomas did seem to hurt John directly far, far less. That didn’t excuse his behavior, but it brought up the question of what about Alexander? After all, Alexander wasn’t a kind soul himself and he’d made Lafayette cry more than Thomas, far more than Thomas. But he was different around John. And maybe Thomas was the same. Hell, maybe he’d actually be that better person he kept talking about.

“I do love him, guys.. Just like I love Alexander..”

“Who are we to get in the way?” Lafayette asked, Hercules nodding in agreement.

John smiled a bit. “Thanks.. I know you don’t approve of him, but trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

“Besides, I heard that Martha and George already gave him the parent talk.”

“Oh, god..” He smiled a bit more.

After lunch, the day continued to be just as typical as most days were and, before everyone knew it, they were free to go home. John went to Alexander’s classroom and waited for him, waving at Thomas as he passed by and getting a cheesy wink in return.

“Hey, John,” Alexander smiled as he came into the hallway. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah.” He held his hand and walked with him to his house, sitting with him in his bedroom when they got there. Just like the day before, they laid down and held each other close, a few shared kisses here and there.

“I really love you.. Like you’re the best person I know, John Laurens.”

“And I love you too, Alexander Hamilton.” He smiled and kissed him, always stopping things before they got too heated. After all, he wasn’t drunk enough the night before to forget his promise to Thomas.

Not that Alexander minded. He’d hardly noticed, actually. All he knew was that John was giving him affection and that he adored it with all of his heart. “Can I watch you paint someday?..”

“Actually.. When I do paint, I kind of get in a bubble. That’s why I’m really slow to respond when you talk to me by the murals in the morning.”

“Oh.. I’m sorry..”

“No, don’t be. It’s not like I can’t paint or the quality turns out bad when you talk to me. It’s just a little bit harder to concentrate.”

Alexander nodded, but he still made sure to take a note of that.

“Maybe you can watch me sculpt or do some metalwork. Like, when I’m making the basic shape of something, it’s usually just a simple animal, I don’t need as much focus as I do when I’m making a full blown painting.”

“That sounds like fun, actually. Especially the metal working.”

John smiled. “Fair warning, the whole room gets really hot when I do that. Most people do that kind of thing in a garage, but.. yeah. I just have to make do with what I have. Maybe I can make you something.”

“No, you already make enough for me. And I’m sure you have a lot of people actually paying you for your work, it wouldn’t be fair.”

“You’re my boyfriend, I can make some room for you. And I make more than enough for me to live in that apartment, trust me.”

“Don’t you have to save for college?”

He shrugged. “I applied for a lot of scholarships, mainly art ones. I think I’ll be fine.”

“Okay..”

“What about you? How’s your college search going?”

“It’s alright. I don’t have the best reputation, but I have the grades and great essays to make up for it. And I’m on the same boat as you for paying for it. George and Martha offered to help, but I want to do this on my own. They do so much for me..”

“I know what you mean. They’re great.” He smiled.

Alexander nodded. They were great. So he was going to try his best to stay financially independent when it came time for him to go to college.

John smiled and played with Alexander’s hair. “We should look at colleges together. That way, we could get into the same one.”

“We could do that right now?”

“That sounds good.”

Alexander sat up and grabbed his laptop, John pulling his own from his backpack, and began comparing colleges with him. As they did, he couldn’t help but wonder if that meant he’d be stuck with Thomas, too.

Martha followed Frances into the auditorium with a bright red face, holding a bouquet of red roses.

“Ooh, who are those from?” Lafayette asked.

“I don’t want to talk about it..”

Francis sat beside him. “Then I’ll tell.”

“Frankie!” she whined.

“Oh, come on! I have to tell!”

She groaned. “Fine.”

Frances smiled. “Somebody got asked to be George King’s date to the dance on Friday!”

“Oh, congratulations! What did you say?”

She blushed more. “I said yes..”

“I knew you liked him!”

“I-It’s not that!”

Lafayette nodded. “Sure. I think that was a sweet gesture. Those roses are beautiful.”

Martha nodded. “I know..”

Thomas walked over. “What’s all the fuss here?”

“Martha got asked to the dance by George King!”

“Frankie!” Martha hid her face behind the bouquet.

“That’s nice. Maybe I should..” he trailed off, not knowing if he should tell about himself and John.

But Frances would not be averted that easily. “Ooh, who are you asking? Has the great Thomas Jefferson finally caught feelings?”

Thomas rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

“Oh, you have!” Martha added. “Spill it, who is it?”

“Nobody, guys.”

“You have to tell! I told you about Martha and George.”

Thomas rolled his eyes. “Last name? Need-To-Know. First name? Don’t.”

“Ugh! Come on! At least give us one hint. Is it a guy or girl?”

“Alright, they’re neither. It’s Lafayette.”

“Ew!” Lafayette exclaimed. “Ew, no!”

Frances nodded. “I couldn’t believe it, either.”

“Spill it, Thomas!”

“I’ll leave you guys guessing.” He walked off and the girls gave up, tutting and sitting with Lafayette.

“Well, that was a bust,” Martha sighed.

Frances nodded. “Well, at least we won’t deal with his gross flirting anymore.”

“Hey, where’s Theodosia? I noticed that she wasn’t with you, but I got distracted by Martha’s flowers.”

She rolled her eyes. “Funny. She was with Aaron, last I saw her. She should be getting here any minute.”

Sure enough, Theodosia came into the room a few minutes later, a bit before Eacker started the class.

After rehearsal, the girls once again crowded around Lafayette.

“Do you think we could go in for costumes?” Frances asked.

He checked the time. “If you guys want to, sure. I’ll give you a ride.”

“Great! You are the best.”

They all followed him to the car and piled in, gossiping about who Thomas could be dating on the way there.


	59. Chapter 59

"Hello, Hugh," Lafayette announced as he stepped inside.

He smiled and waved at Lafayette. "Hey, Laf. Herc's busy in his room."

"Okay. I'm actually here with my friends today. They want to look at costumes for that dance this Friday."

"I see. I can handle this. You can go see what Herc's up to, if you want."

He nodded and went to the back, smiling as he saw Sarah there working on a gown. "Hello, Sarah. That's a beautiful gown."

"Aw, thanks, Taffy. It's a commission for Tommy. He's giving it to John for the dance Friday."

"Really?"

She nodded. "What do you think of it so far?"

"I think John's going to love it." He looked at the half done dress, nodding in approval at every detail. 

"Thank you. I'll probably have it done Thursday, so you and him can probably try them on at the same time. He may need a bit of help getting in and out of a thing like this."

"He might. Speaking of, do you think I could go see Hercules?"

She thought for a second. "Well, he'd probably working on your dress... But I don't think it would hurt to go see."

"Thank you." He smiled and went up to Herc's room, knocking on the door. "Herc? It's me, I came to visit."

"In a minute!" Hercules opened the door after a few seconds and carefully stepped out so Lafayette wouldn't be able to look inside, kissing his cheek. "Hey there. What are you doing here?"

"The girls wanted to look at some costumes. Your dad is working with them. And I heard you were working on something for me?"

He smiled. "Yes I am and you won't get to see it until Thursday. I want an extra day to make sure it fits you right."

"You have a talent for making sure things always do."

"Thanks. So, how did practice go for you?"

"It went well. I think we're all doing a good job with this."

"That's great. I know you're going to be great."

Lafayette smiled proudly. "I'll do my best. I'm going to go back downstairs with the girls."

"I'll go with you. I could use a little break."

He nodded and walked back downstairs with him. When they got there, both girls were trying on their costumes. "Oh, just as a warning, these girls have a little crush on you."

"On me?.." Hercules almost found it laughable. He didn't see himself as much of an attractive guy. 

But he was proven wrong when the girls came back out and their faces went red at the sight of Hercules standing there. 

He just smiled politely and waved at them, both of them shyly waving back before turning to Hugh.

"I told you."

Hercules just nodded, surprised by their reactions. "And here I was afraid that they'd be trying to woo you."

Lafayette shrugged. "I'm not everyone's type. But I'm yours and that's all that matters." He kissed his cheek.

Hercules smiled. "You guys have fun. I'm going to go get back to work." He pecked Lafayette's lips before going back up to his room. 

"Are you girls ready to go?" Laf asked as he saw them finishing up paying. 

"Yeah. They're just a bit starstruck," Theodosia joked, making Hugh chuckle quietly. 

"Alright. Let's go." He smiled and walked back to his car, all three girls following. "So, what costumes did you girls get?"

Frances and Martha were silent, looking to Theodosia for once. 

She chuckled. "I actually already got my costume a bit ago. We're here for these two. I think Frankie was thinking Elsa and Martha was thinking Anna."

He nodded. "I think that'll look nice. Who are you going to be, Theodosia?"

"Ariel.. And Aaron is going to be Prince Eric."

"That's so sweet. You two are going to look so cute together," he said, confident in his words. Theodosia and Aaron went together so well, anyone with eyes could see it. Aaron was obviously smitten with her and Theodosia clearly adored him and his chivalrous ways.

Lafayette drove the girls home before going home himself, resting as the day drew closer to an end. 

The next day went similarly, ending for Lafayette, Thomas, and the girls after drama and ending for John and Alexander laying together in the latter's bed. 

Wednesday was a slightly different story. 

After school, Thomas caught John and Alexander before they left for the day. "Hey, sunshine. I'm going to go to Mulligan's to look at some costumes after practice. Care to join me?"

He looked at Alexander, who responded for him. 

"Yeah, we can come. I should get a costume, too.." Alexander had spent so much time planning it that he'd almost forgotten that he'd be in costume as well. 

"Alright. I'll see you then. Do you want to come watch our practice so I can drive you there after?"

Again, John looked at Alexander. He didn't want to force him to watch Thomas acting, especially not in a villainous role. 

"It's your choice," Alexander shrugged. 

"In that case, I think we'll just wait out here. I don't want to see it until it's the day of."

Thomas smiled at the answer. "Alright. I'll see you guys afterwards, then." He leaned down and kissed John's cheek, then just looked at Alexander to acknowledge his existence before going into the auditorium. 

John sat down outside of the auditorium doors, Alexander right beside him. "Do you want to draw to pass the time? You can choose what we draw this time."

"Yeah.. Can we just draw something simple? Like... I don't know... the wall?"

"Yeah, sure." He took out a sketchbook from his backpack and Alexander pulled out a random notebook from his own before watching as John began drawing. He'd take note of what he did and take it from there. 

John noticed Alexander watching and began from the simplest details, the lines that would separate off each locker and a few boxes where posters would take up space once the wall of lockers ended. 

Alexander just stared at the page, surprised for a few seconds. "How are your lines so straight?"

John grinned childishly, the same way Alexander would before making a pun. "Oh, haven't you heard? All of my straightness went to my lines."

As expected, Alexander grinned at the stupid joke before bursting into giggles. "Oh my god, I love you so much," he said as he laughed. John knew how to make him smile, even in the stupidest ways.

"I love you too." He kissed his cheek and let him finish laughing. "You're bi, you're not completely straight. Maybe it won't be too bad."

Alexander nodded and looked at John's paper before turning to his own and making much more crooked lines, frowning a bit before trying again. Not much better. 

"Don't feel bad. Seriously speaking, I did have to train myself to make lines that straight. If you can't do it, it's no big deal."

Alexander tutted and tried again anyways. "I feel like I can do it better.."

"But there's nothing wrong with those lines. That's what it would look like for most people."

"Alright.." He watched as John added more details to the drawing and copied them as best as he could, ending up making something decent. John's looked so perfect compared to his..

"Aw, I like it. Yours looks good."

"It's not that great.."

"I think it looks good." He kissed his cheek and smiled.

Alexander sighed. "Alright.."

John put his arm around him and pulled him closer. "You're a good artist. I'm not letting you go until you smile."

Alexander fought back a small smile and John grinned. 

"Hey, Alex?"

"What?.."

"Did it hurt?"

"What? When I fell from heaven?"

"No, when you fell for me."

Alexander snickered quietly. "You're the worst.. Weirdo." He turned and kissed him, John happily returning the kiss. "Thank you."

"Anytime. I can't have my boyfriend being unhappy." 

Alexander smiled and leaned against John until Thomas came out of the auditorium. He got up with him and held his hand as they walked out of the school, Thomas's arm resting around John's waist. It was getting a bit easier to deal with him being there after John had been so sweet to him. He still hated Thomas, but, for John, it was a bit easier to deal with him. 

Thomas held the door open for John and let Alexander get into the backseat after him before getting in the driver's seat. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

"Me too."

"Good." Thomas drove them all to the shop, then went inside with both boys. Once again, Hugh was working the counter, busy with all of the other first years getting costumes that day. 

"Hey, guys. I can help you in a minute. For now, just browse through this." He gave them a catalog of costumes before heading back to everyone else. 

Alexander flipped through and stopped at the page of Beauty and the Beast themed costumes, John looking with him. After a few seconds, he glanced up at Thomas and sighed. "Do you want to be Gaston?"

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "You actually want me to join in?"

"You are paying for John's costume. And you are John's boyfriend." And John did ask him to at least consider it after he gave it a hard no the day before. 

"Alright, then." He looked with them and found one that fit him and John best, helping Alexander find one that would go best with John's dress. "You don't know much about this stuff, do you?"

It was a casual comment, but Alexander couldn't help but feel a bit attacked. "Sorry I have better things to think about than fashion," he muttered in response. 

Thomas just rolled his eyes. 

"Alright, guys, are you ready for my help?" Hugh asked as he came back. 

"Yep. What do you think of these two with John's gown?"

Hugh nodded in approval at the choices. "Good eye, Thomas. I'll be right back." He left to the back and came back soon with two costumes. "Sorry Alexander, but this might be a bit big.." He gave them both theirs and let them go to the back to change. 

Alexander frowned as he did. Hugh was right. The costume was the right color and the right look... but it was just that much too big on him. 

Thomas came out before him, looking nothing less than proud. "Alright. This is not too bad." If there was one thing that he wasn't lacking, it was body confidence. "What do you think, sunshine?"

"You look good." He smiled and nodded in approval, his smile softening a bit as Alexander came out, the look on his face clearly insecure. "Aw, you look great, Alexander."

"I look silly.."

"I think you look so handsome." He went to him and kissed his cheek. 

Even that didn't move the small frown from Alexander's face. He sighed and cupped his cheek. "Does it bother you that much?.."

"I look like a little kid," he said matter-of-factly. "I know you see it, John.."

He frowned and turned to Hugh. "Would you guys be able to tailor this costume so it fit him better?"

"John, no, you don't have to do that for me."

"He's right," Thomas said. "John doesn't have to do it because I'm doing it for you."

".. What?.." To say that Alexander was surprised was an understatement. 

"I'll pay for you to get that costume tailored. You know you won't be able to enjoy yourself otherwise and, by extension, John would spend the night worrying."

It sounded like Thomas was just doing it to impress John, but a closer look said otherwise. If he was, he would've mentioned John first, not Alexander. He may not have been doing this because he cared for Alexander, but it also wasn't just because of John. "Thanks.." he muttered, going back and changing into his normal clothes. 

Thomas nodded and did the same. 

When Alexander came back, Sarah was waiting with a tape measure. 

"Ready, Lexi?"

"Yeah." He followed her to the back, eyes going wide at the beautiful dress that was there with her. "Is that... Is that for John?.." he asked as she began taking his measurements. 

"Yep. I'm almost done. I just need to add a few finishing details. What do you think?"

"I think it's gorgeous. John is really going to look like a princess."

"Thanks, dear." She smiled and wrote down the numbers. "Is Tommy with you? Can you ask him to come look at it? I want to know if there's anything else he thinks it needs."

"Yeah, of course." He left his costume with her and went back to the front, where Thomas was waiting. "Sarah says she wants to show you something."

"What's up?"

"John's dress."

John's eyes filled with curiosity at the mere mention of it and Thomas smiled. 

"You can see it when it's ready, sunshine." He kissed his cheek and went to the back, his surprise similar to Alexander's. "Wow, that looks gorgeous."

Sarah smiled proudly. "You can bring Johnny by to try it on tomorrow. I just need to add a few more details. What do you think?"

"I think you're the expert and John's going to love it."

"Thank you, sweetheart. Alright, I'll see you tomorrow." 

"I'll see you then." Thomas waved and went back out to the front, paying for his and Alexander's costumes. 

"Thanks again.."

"No problem, short stuff."

Alexander tutted. He was still an ass.

John smiled and followed them out of the shop. "So, I've got a surprise dress, a surprise at the dance, are there any other surprises I need to know about?"

"Not right now. But I can tell you that you will love both surprises," Thomas said as he began driving. 

"I'll take your word for it and wait." John held Alexander's hand as he drove and got out at his house with him when they got there. He waved at Thomas as he drove off before going inside with Alexander. "Hey, Alex?" he began as they stepped into his room. 

"What's up?"

"Would you mind if I spent time with Thomas tomorrow?.."

"No, of course not. He is your boyfriend." 

John couldn't help but think that it bothered Alexander and it did, not that he'd ever admit it. "Are you sure?.. I could stay with you.."

Alexander turned to him and held his hands. "Look.. I won't lie to you. It does kind of bother me.. But we all agreed to the rules and one of those rules was that we couldn't stop you from hanging out with anyone. It's your choice. I'm just a little jealous, it's going to take me some time to get over it. Don't feel bad. As long as you're happy, I'm happy."

John smiled and squeeze his hands lightly. "Thank you.. I just don't want you to think I'm putting you second to him.. I really do love you both and I don't love one of you more than the other, but I also don't love you any less."

"And I know that, but it is a little weird thinking about my boyfriend being with someone else."

And that was the thing that John had trouble processing. In the same way that he couldn't understand why Thomas would have sex with a stranger or in the way that Lafayette and Hercules couldn't understand why not everybody was pansexual and why gender mattered so much, John couldn't understand why Alexander would be jealous when he knew he loved him. Being polyamorous himself, it was only logical to him, but he'd never criticize Alexander for not understanding just as Alexander wouldn't criticize him for being that way. 

"Just go. I promise I'll be okay."

John smiled. He could tell that Alexander really was trying to understand this and he couldn't ask for anything more. He kissed his cheek and laid down with him. "You are the best.."

"You deserve the best. I'm just trying my best.."

"And that's what matters." He kissed his forehead and held him close. "I don't know where I'd be without you.."

Probably in Thomas's arms, Alexander believed. but he pushed down the thought. He was not going to make John feel bad for something he couldn't help feeling, just as he'd never tried to force him out of his anger spells, just help him through them. John had helped him through so much. He was almost eating a normal amount most days and he was taking his medicine without a struggle. He'd even gained a little weight so his ribs weren't so visible anymore. With his small frame, it'd be difficult to get him to a point where his ribs weren't visible at all, so it was a great place to be, especially considering the shape he'd been in just two weeks ago. 

John kept Alexander cuddled close in his arms and smiled. He loved sitting there with him, holding him close. It was so relaxing that it might have put him to sleep had George not called them all down for dinner. He got up and walked downstairs with Alexander, Martha and George doing a poor job at hiding the fact that they were worried about John. 

"Son... About you and Thomas.. Are you sure this is a good idea? How could you trust him after what he tried to do to Alexander?"

"He's different. I honestly believe that he's changed. And, on the off chance that he hasn't, I can take him in a fight. I know you guys are worried, but I can take care of myself. You've seen me box."

"Years ago.. We're just worried about you, hon.."

"I understand that, but I can promise you two that I'm going to be okay."

The pair exchanged a look and accepted John's answer for the time being. 

Dinner was fairly quiet, John and Lafayette's chattering filling the air for the most part. Once they were done, everyone went back to what they were doing and John laid with Alexander again. Between their full stomachs and the calming feeling of being in each other's arms, it wasn't long before they fell asleep. 


	60. Chapter 60

John was the first one awake the next morning, smiling at Alexander. He kissed the top of his head, then carefully made his way out of his arms and went to the bathroom, taking a quick shower. 

When he came back out, Alexander was just waking up, trying to comprehend the fact that the pillow wasn't John. The second that he saw him, he sat up and held his arms out, his eyes heavy from sleep. 

John sat with him and let him grab his waist, running his fingers through his hair. "You have to get up and get ready."

"No... I want to sleep with you.."

"And I want to go back to sleep with you, but it's time for school."

Alexander whined and buried his face in John's side, not noticing the way he winced. 

"Alright.. I'll go ahead and go to school. You can stay here and sleep for another while. Then Lafayette can take you to school, okay?"

He nodded and went back to sleep. 

John carefully put him back in bed and kissed his cheek, then left to school, going to paint. This time, rather than a voice greeting him, it was a hand on his waist. Naturally, he turned around and punched them in the stomach, gasping when he saw it was Thomas. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize it was you!"

Thomas was kneeling down, holding his stomach where John had hit him. "It's fine," he squeaked out. "I should not have done that."

John knelt down beside him. "Are you okay?.."

"I'll be fine. I just need a minute." 

John nodded and helped him move so he was sitting against the wall before sitting with him. "I'm so sorry..."

"It's fine. No permanent damage and no real damage. You just throw one hell of a punch."

He nodded. "I know.."'

Thomas took a few deep breaths and let the pain subside until it was just a dull ache. "Okay. I'm alright."

"Good. So, do you mind if I hang out with you tonight?"

"No, of course not." He smiled. "Mind if we hang out at yours? I can ask one of Lucy's friends' parents if they can watch her. They kind of know what's up and they're cool with it."

"That sounds great, actually." He kissed his cheek. "How does a movie night sound?"

"It sounds perfect. Do you have snacks?"

"Of course I do."

"Good. Because last time I checked your fridge, I thought I was in the wrong apartment, as much as you eat," he said, clearly joking.

John rolled his eyes playfully and nudged him. "Sorry I eat. Besides, how can I have a girls day without snacks? It's basically suicide. I'll have snacks and I'll let you choose the movie."

He nodded. "50 Shades of Grey it is."

"Oh, god, you don't actually like that book, do- You know what, I wouldn't be surprised."

Thomas tutted and returned the playful nudge. "For your information, I did read it a while back, but I didn't like it. I don't know what the big deal is. The sex scenes are dry, Anastasia was the stupidest character ever, and Christian was a rapist with a stupid backstory excuse."

"Exactly! I never read it, but I got curious and watched the movie. It was awful."

"Yeah. I can't believe you actually thought I'd like it."

"Well, it is a sexual book. You're a sexual person."

"Fair enough." He nodded. "But I don't like it. We can decide movies later."

"You're right. For now, I should get back to painting." He got back up and did just that, Thomas standing behind him and watching until it was time for class. Then, they went inside together and ignored the few odd glances that they got. After all, there were still rumors floating around about Thomas. They just went into class and sat where they had the day before. 

Alexander dragged himself into class a minute later, plopping down in the seat beside John. "Good morning."

"Good morning. Why do you look so tired?"

"I'm just having an off day.. I'm so tired.."

"Aw.. Are you going to be okay?"

He nodded. "I'll be fine." 

"Good." He leaned over and kissed his cheek. 

Alexander smiled sleepily, then grumbled as Adams walked into the room and started the class. 

John kept an eye on him throughout the class and made sure that he stayed awake or, at least, that Adams didn't see him falling asleep. 

After that power nap, Alexander was alright, going to his class without help. 

Still, Alexander napped through lunch, John sitting beside him and eating. 

By the end of the day, he'd gathered up enough nap time to finally stay awake. He stayed and sat with him while everyone else was at drama, waiting so they could go to Mulligan's all together. 

It didn't even feel like an hour before Thomas came out. When he did, the pair got up and followed him out to his car, Alexander changing his mind at the last second and going with Lafayette in his car. 

"Why did you want to come with me?" Lafayette asked, knowing that he'd prefer to be with John, not that he minded. 

"I just thought those two should get some time to themselves.. I shouldn't always be tagging along with them."

"I'm sure John doesn't mind." 

"And I'm sure that he wouldn't tell me if he did.."

Lafayette sighed, knowing that he was right, and just drove. "So, how are things going now that Thomas is with you guys?.."

"Not much different. It's weird not trying to fight him all the time, though."

"I'd imagine so. You two are such polar opposites," he chuckled. 

"Yeah.." Polar opposites. But John loved them both. 

"How was your day, sunshine?"

"Just another day. Honestly, I've hardly been able to think because I've been thinking about this all day. Like I don't even wear dresses that much, but I feel like I'm really going to like this one."

"So do I. I really hope you do." He held his hand as he drove, kissing his knuckles. "Does Gaston end up with Belle in this story?"

John chuckled. "Yeah. Only because Belle knows that he's not nearly as bad as he seems. And she also ends up with Prince Adam."

"I know." He only wanted to get rid of Alexander in the case that it was better for John. Which, in his mind, it already was, but he wasn't going to force John or try to convince him to see that. 

When they arrived at the shop, Thomas held John's hand and led him inside, where Alexander and Lafayette were waiting with Sarah. 

"Okay, first things first, Ally, can you try this on? I want to be sure that it fits you." 

Alexander nodded and took the costume, going to the changing room and putting it on. When he came out, his confidence was visibly higher than it had been before. "This is so much better.." 

"I'm so glad to hear that." Sarah smiled. "Once you change back, we can look at the dresses. Then we can get these two into them." She patted Lafayette and John on the shoulder, then waited for Alexander to change back into his clothes. Once he came back, she lead them all into the back, where Hercules was waiting with two covered mannequins. 

"Are you guys ready?" he asked.

"I'm so ready."

"Me too!" Lafayette was practically hopping in place. 

Hercules smiled and revealed both dresses, both boys amazed at how they'd turned out. 

John certainly wasn't one to wear gowns any other time, but, for a dress like this, he'd make an exception. The satin skirt looked almost exactly like in the animated movie, though the top was a bit more unique. It was the signature golden yellow, of course, only strapless with a corset back. And the waistline was a bit lower than what he'd expect, no doubt something that was one of Thomas's suggestions. "Sarah, this is beautiful.." He stepped closer and carefully took in the details of the gown, in complete awe. 

"You like it?"

"Like it?.. I love it. It's better than I imagined, it's perfect, I.. You are amazing!"

Lafayette was far more awestruck with his dress. The silk Hercules used to make it fit perfectly and it looked elegant, incredibly so. His dress was near identical to live action Cinderella's. "Oh my goodness... It's perfect! I love it!" He squealed and tackled Hercules in a hug, kissing all over his face before stopping and kissing him passionately. 

Hercules felt over the moon. Lafayette didn't just like the dress, he loved it! He could live forever in that moment, but he had to breathe eventually. "Remind me to make you dresses more often," he practically gasped as he pulled away, out of breath from the intense kiss. 

Thomas looked at John jokingly. "Me next?"

John rolled his eyes. "Keep dreaming."

"I will." 

Once Lafayette was a bit more calm, Sarah shooed the others out so it was just her, Lafayette, and John. "Are you boys going to need any help?"

"No, I can take care of John. You can go rest." 

She smiled and left, keeping the others from peeking in. 

"Alright, what am I doing here?" John asked as he looked at the gown, having no idea how to even begin getting it on. 

Lafayette smiled. "I'll help you."

"That look on your face. It scares me."

He rolled his eyes and went around to the back of the mannequin, loosening the back and carefully lifting it up over the head. "Alright, undress."

John nodded and stripped to his underwear, standing so Lafayette wouldn't see his bruised rib, not that he would with how carefully he was holding the dress. 

"Hands up." 

John did just that and helped Lafayette get the dress onto him.

Once it was on, Lafayette stood behind him and began tightening the back just enough for it to fit snugly and not slip. "How's that?"

"Not as bad as I'd imagined."

"Good." He smiled and went to his own dress, being able to get it on himself. 

"Ooh, you look great," John smiled. 

"Thank you. Do you think you could help me with the back?"

"No problem." He laced up the back for him and nodded in approval when he turned back around. 

"You look like a princes yourself."

"You are a princess."

Lafayette nodded proudly and called Sarah, who smiled widely when she saw them. 

"You both look even better than I'd imagined! I'm so glad they fit well. Do you want to show the boys?"

They both agreed that they did and Sarah walked out, bringing the others back. 

Thomas's eyes went wide and he smiled when he saw John. "Woah, sunshine, look at you! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you really were a Disney princess. Not even, you look better than any princess I know!"

Alexander would've loved to match Thomas's compliments had he been able to get his jaw off of the floor. He couldn't stop staring at John, imprinting the image into his memory. Even a picture wouldn't last nearly as long as the moment. "You look beautiful.." he managed to get out after a while. 

John blushed and enjoyed the attention. 

Hercules was stunned as he looked at Lafayette, wondering what this model was doing with someone like him. "Oh my god, you are a princess. You look so perfect, Laf.. Like, oh my god, this Cinderella is having her shoes glued to her feet because there is no way I'm letting you run off."

Lafayette smiled and twirled for him. "Oh, please, I could never think of running away from you." He went to him and pecked his lips. "What about you? What are you wearing?"

"I can show you in a bit. For now, I get to enjoy seeing you in this dress." He held his hands and looked at him, taking in just how much better Lafayette made the whole dress. 

Thomas took John's hand and twirled him slowly. "You look like a picture of perfection." 

"And you are way too cheesy for your own good."

"I guess it makes sense. Every time I look at you, I feel like I'm straight out of a cheesy romance movie because you are so meant for me. Trust me, there will be no forgetting you in my lifetime, especially not when you look this gorgeous."

John continued to giggle as Thomas continued to compliment him, only moving away when he let him and going to Alexander. "What do you think?"

"I think I'm the luckiest man alive. I should not be with someone as gorgeous as you. You're going to steal the spotlight tomorrow night." Alexander's comments seemed to spill out all at once when he finally got a hold of his words. 

It was a different type of endearing than Thomas had been. While Thomas was seemingly able to pull a compliment out of nowhere, Alexander was too stunned to say anything, spilling all of his words out at once when he finally could. Yes, the two were polar opposites, but John didn't love them for what made them different or what made them similar. As cheesy as it may have sounded, he loved them for what made them themselves. "You guys are ridiculous.."

"It's true!" Alexander insisted, Thomas nodding in agreement. "You look like perfection."

"You beat Emma Watson by a mile. I'm going to go wait by the car and save some of this dazzle for tomorrow, though I don't think I'll need it, as beautiful as you look." Thomas left and paid for the dress, then waited outside by his car. 

Alexander smiled and kissed John's cheek. "I could never get over how beautiful you are.. Every time you dress up like this, it just reminds me that I need to be that much better of a boyfriend because... wow."

"You guys are too much.." John muttered, unable to stop smiling. 

"We have to be, in order to come anywhere close to you. You're amazing.."

"And you're exaggerating." He pecked his lips. "I'm going to change out of this. That way, I can keep some of the magic for tomorrow."

"Ooh! I have to teach you how to walk in heels!"

"I mean.. You don't have to."

"But I'm going to! We can do that now!"

John sighed and turned back to Alexander with an almost apologetic smile. "Looks like I'm being held captive."

"I can go."

"Ask Thomas for a ride home. Tell him I said to ask." He knew Thomas wouldn't agree otherwise. "And can you tell him that I'll meet him at the apartment?" He gave Alexander his key.

"No problem." Alexander pecked his lips again and took the key before leaving, going to Thomas's car and offering it to him. "John told me to ask for a ride home. He said he'll be out later."

"Alright. Get in."

Lafayette asked Sarah for some shoes that would go with his and John's costume and she happily obliged, pulling pairs and pairs of shoes before shooing Herc out and leaving them to be.

"Can I at least do this in my regular clothes? I don't want to trip and mess anything up."

"Fine, fine, come here." Lafayette undid the corset and John did the same for him, both changing back into their regular clothes. Naturally, Lafayette began by grabbing the tallest pair of shoes with the smallest heels he could find. 

"Why are you trying to kill me?"

"It is not going to kill you. Just try it. I'll try them too." He grabbed a pair that were very similar and put them on, not struggling much at all. 

John sighed and put on the shoes, then stood up, already wobbling. "Why did I agree to this?"

"Because I didn't give you a choice. Come on, you can do it." 

John tutted and tried, falling forward. "Ow."

"Alright, a shorter pair it is." He grabbed a more sensible pair, which were still too tall for John, and had him try them. That time, he didn't fall, but he wasn't exactly the picture of grace. His legs kept wobbling with each step and he could hardly take a step bigger than a few inches. So, finally, Lafayette had mercy on him and gave him a pair that were much easier to walk in. "There we go." 

"Alright, I can deal with this." It was visibly easier for him to walk around in those shoes. "So, I guess I'm wearing these to the dance tomorrow?"

"Not exactly those. That's the right height and size, though. You'll see tomorrow."

"You still scare me."

"I know." He smiled and drove him to his apartment back once they were both in their own clothes, dropping him off. 

John noticed a smoke cloud and a puff of hair a few cars down, so he went down there once Lafayette was gone. 

Sure enough, Thomas was standing there smoking, stomping out his cigarette once he saw John. "Hey, sunshine. I didn't know how long you'd be, so I stayed out here and.. yeah." He could tell that John wasn't a fan of the habit. It wasn't that he didn't care what John thought about it, he just dealt with it by being sure to not to smoke around him. 

"Well, I'm here. Are you ready to go inside?"

He nodded. "Yeah, let's go." He smiled a bit and walked back to the apartment, asking Thomas for his key back and opening the door. He went inside with him and asked him to pick a movie while he got snacks together. He got a big bowl of popcorn and some sodas before going back and seeing that Thomas had chosen Thor Ragnarok. He smiled and sat with him, leaning against him as he enjoyed the beauty of Chris Hemsworth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help out a broke college student, you can ask for commissions at slashgashotaku@gmail.com. I also do free requests.


	61. Chapter 61

Once Lafayette got back to Herc's place, he went inside and up to his room, finding him sitting on his bed. He smiled and sat beside him, surprising him a bit. 

Not that Herc minded. He smiled when he saw that it was just his boyfriend- er, datemate, and put his arm around him, putting his homework to the side. "Hey there, beautiful. I cannot tell you how glad I am that you loved the dress."

"Of course I loved it. It was a work of art, better than the actual live action work."

"Now you're exaggerating. I am not at Disney's level of tailoring."

"No. You are better." He smiled and kissed him. "So, do I get to see you in your costume for tomorrow?"

"You just want to see me strip, don't you?" he joked.

Lafayette shrugged. "No, that's just a bonus."

Hercules laughed and stood up, shutting the door and going to his closet, pulling out a neat white button up shirt with a red sash going across it and blue pants. 

"My pops threw it together when he learned we were going to be Cinderella and Prince Charming. I don't really like making clothes for myself." It wasn't a thing of size or insecurity. It was a thing of feeling like he'd seem too vain making clothes for himself, as if regular clothes weren't good enough for him because he knew how to make them himself.

"It's nice. You and I will match perfectly, just like we do every other day." 

Hercules smiled and hung the suit on the doorknob, knowing that Lafayette was not going to accept not seeing him in the costume. He pulled off his shirt, then, with a wicked grin, turned suddenly and pushed Lafayette against the wall, kissing him passionately. For at least a full minute, it was a flurry of tongues and lips and he watched as Lafayette's legs gave out beneath him and he slid down the wall with a victorious grin. He finished changing as he let him mentally recover. 

Lafayette shook it off after a couple of minutes and stood back up, his legs still shaky. "You are too full of mischief." He smiled. "And you are far too handsome."

Hercules's grin turned back into a soft smile. "Thanks.. But I don't even come close to how you look in that dress." 

"That's because you designed and made it."

He kissed his cheek, then changed back, though Lafayette did stop him as he tried to put his shirt back on, wrapping his arms around his waist. 

"No, I like this view."

And how could he say no to Lafayette? He sat back down with him and pulled him into his lap, kissing his cheek. 

"I can't believe that more girls aren't like Martha and Frances. You are so clearly an attractive man."

Hercules shrugged. "That's an unpopular opinion. I can't believe they weren't trying to hit on you all night."

"That's because you don't see the gorgeous man that I see for who knows what reason."

"Trust me, Laf, nobody could be as hot as you." He trailed a few slow kisses down Lafayette's neck... Before blowing a raspberry into his skin. 

Lafayette practically screeched. "Herc! That was so mean!" he whined. 

Hercules laughed and kissed his cheek. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you." He swung Lafayette around so he was laying down and hovered over him, kissing him.

And how could he say no to Hercules? 

"I'm pretty sure Thor is the strongest avenger," John stated as the movie drew to an end. 

"Are you sure about that? Because I'm pretty sure that the Hulk floored him in that fight."

"Excuse you, but Thor had that fight in the bag until the grand master electrocuted him."

Thomas shook his head. "No way. You saw the way that Hulk threw him around."

"Because he was trying to settle things peacefully! Thor is a literal god, the God of Thunder. He is so much stronger."

"The god of thunder got electrocuted. I'm pretty sure Captain America is the strongest."

"Oh, here we go! Captain America? Really? Compared to Thor?"

"Excuse you, sunshine, but which Avenger almost picked up the hammer?"

"Which Avenger had the power to save all of the universe?"

"Scarlet Witch."

"She had the power to destroy an Infinity Stone too, but that didn't happen either."

"Because she had to kill someone for it!"

"You know who would've killed their lover for their country? Okoye. You know who couldn't kill theirs for half the universe after being assured by him that it was okay? Wanda.."

Thomas chuckled. "You are impossible." He kissed the top of John's head. 

He smiled and kissed Thomas's cheek. "Because I have a point to make and I plan on making it."

"You have a wrong point. You just like staring at Chris Hemsworth."

"That's just a bonus."

"A bonus. Sure." He laid down on the couch and let John lay in front of him as they watched Black Panther. 

John pulled down the blanket that was folded on top of the couch and covered them both as they watched the movie. 

"Comfortable enough?"

John nodded and smiled as he watched the movie. A quiet movie night was always a perfect date for him. That movie seemed to pass by much quicker for them both and the credits were rolling before they knew it. John turned around and smiled at Thomas, leaning up and pecking his lips. "This is really nice.."

"I know.. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than here with you, sunshine." He initiated the kiss that time, cupping John's cheek and tilting his head up to properly kiss him. He sighed into the kiss and let his hand drop to John's waist.

John relaxed under his touch and wrapped his arms around his neck, keeping himself close to him. 

For Thomas, the experience was heavenly. He took his time and enjoyed the feeling of John's lips against his own, taking it upon himself to take things a baby step forward and tug ans nip at John's bottom lip, something he knew he loved. 

John couldn't stop a tiny mean that squeaked out, his face going bright red. He had to pull away a few seconds after and breathe, resting his head under Thomas's. "You're still one hell of a kisser.."

"I learned from the best." He kissed John's forehead and let him take his time and rest. 

As he did, John couldn't help but think about how things might progress and, eventually, how he'd feel about being intimate with Thomas. The thought still made him the slightest bit nervous, but he knew he had no reason to be. Thomas was not the type to force someone, he knew that from experience. The part that still scared him was himself, how he'd react if he felt things were going too fast. With Alexander, of course, it was so easy for him to just safe word out of it and he knew it could be that easy with Thomas, that he'd respect his response. The problem was that it wasn't what he did last time, all that time ago. 

"Is something wrong?.."

John blinked and released his grip on Thomas's shirt. He didn't remember grasping it so tightly. "I'm just thinking..."

"What about?.."

"Us... I don't want to freak out on you and break your nose again or anything... I know you'll listen if I use the traffic light system. I'm just worried about if I'd use the system or if I'd just assault you again.."

Thomas frowned a bit and ran a hand over John's hair. "Don't blame yourself, sugar.. You can't help what happened and I'm not mad at you for it anymore. That was a long time ago and we've both changed. I promised that I'd take things slow for you and I intend on keeping that promise. You know that if I ever do anything that you don't like, all you have to do is tell me."

John nodded. "Okay.. Thank you..." And he kept thinking about it, but he stopped worrying about it and started wondering about when he'd be ready for it. He didn't expect it to be soon, but he knew it'd happen eventually and he'd be lying if he said the thought didn't excite him at least a bit. He took a few more deep breaths before moving up and pressing his lips to Thomas's again, continuing the passionate kiss. Even his kisses were different from Alexander's. Passionate kisses with Thomas were slow burning and heated while, with Alexander, they were more excitable and started off so slow before getting to a different kind of heat. Less like a sauna and more like a cozy campfire. Both were amazing in their own ways and John couldn't get enough of either. Still, sleep had to come at some point and an hour later, John was yawning. 

"What? Are you tired of kissing me?" Thomas teased. 

"Ha ha, very funny." John smiled, though there was a bit less energy in him altogether. 

Thomas sat up and scooped John up, carrying him to his bed and laying with him before letting John fall asleep. Once he was out, Thomas got back up and went to the living room, tidying things up a bit and taking a shower before going to sleep himself. 

In the morning, John was surprised to find that he was alone, but his questions were soon answered as the smell of bacon floated gracefully into the room. He got up and practically floated out himself towards the source of the smell, finding Thomas standing in the kitchen. 

"Hungry?"

"Always. Thank you." He grabbed a plate of bacon and eggs before going to the kitchen and sitting to eat. 

Thomas sat with him a minute after and ate, smiling. "I'm glad you like it." 

John was already done eating. He rolled his eyes playfully and went to the kitchen, cleaning his plate and putting it up before doing the same for Thomas once he was done. He went to the bathroom and took a shower, then got dressed and finished getting ready before leaving with Thomas. 

He drove them to school and stood behind the school with him when they got there, watching him paint. 

Soon after, Alexander joined them and looked up at the wall. "It looks great, John."

"Thanks." He turned and smiled a bit, forgetting he couldn't see it, then turned back and kept painting. His nose scrunched up a bit as he smelled Thomas smoking. 

"Do you have to do that so early?"

Thomas shrugged and coughed sharply, neither him nor Alexander noticing how John flinched at the sound. "It's not your problem, now is it?"

"All I'm saying is you'd cough less if you stopped smoking."

"And you'd piss less if you stopped drinking. What does it matter to you what I do anyways?"

Alexander rolled his eyes. He didn't care about Thomas, but it didn't kill him to be a decent person. Or at least, it didn't hurt to try. "Whatever." 

Thomas shrugged. He was under no obligation to be particularly nice to Alexander and he didn't like him. He didn't particularly want to be mean to him, either, but he was tired of hearing remarks about his smoking. He knew it was a bad habit, but he didn't really care. It made him feel chill. 

Once the bell rang, the three walked in to the school together, John in between them holding both of their hands as they walked. There were a few whispers and stares, but nothing that was too hard to handle. The worst was a glare from John Jay.

They sat together in class and spent the entire day thinking about how the dance would go. 

John, of course, was thinking about all of the fun it was going to be to dance the night away with his boyfriends and his friends, but Thomas and Alexander were more concerned with how amazingly John was going to react to the real purpose of the dance. 

It was a day that seemed to fly by and, before he knew it, school was over. John and Alexander swung by Alexander's house to pick up his costume before John left and went to Mulligan's to wait for Lafayette with Sarah. She helped him get into his costume and was merciful on him as far as shoes, letting him wear yellow wedged boots. He got accustomed to the extra height and practiced walking and a bit of dancing with Herc, just to make sure he wouldn't face plant in front of everyone. 

"You're almost as pretty as Laf."

"Oh, ha ha." John rolled his eyes playfully. "Sorry we can't all date models."

Hercules just laughed. "Just pay attention to your steps."

John nodded and kept count of his steps, then began talking to Hercules again. "Are you excited for them to put on Heathers? Since Lafayette is in it?"

"Very. He's so talented, I can't wait to see him in action. I'm just a little worried about that Dead Girl Walking scene. Like I don't think Thomas would do anything, but I'm afraid that I'll get jealous over nothing. It's just acting and I know I'm the only person Lafayette's ever been with."

"Yeah.. I know that scene's kind of intense.. But I'm sure Laf would get it if you, like, happened to leave just for that song or something."

"So do I, but I don't want to do that to him and make him feel guilty or anything... Are you worried? Like watching that scene with Thomas in it?"

"Not really. I haven't been with him in that way and I know he's okay with it. And I know Laf. He's disgusted by Thomas in any ways besides friendship."

Hercules nodded and let go of John. "Let's take a break. I think they may be getting here soon."

Sarah came into the room and took John away. "Sorry, Herky, this princess needs a quick makeover."

Herc nodded and watched as his mom took his friend captive, dragging him into the house and up to the bathroom, helping him with the skirt and all of it's tulle layers. 

John sat on a chair that Sarah had in there and shut his eyes, letting her do what she did best. 

Once she was done with him, Lafayette got there and she gave him a makeover as well. Then, it was time! 

Lafayette grabbed John's arm and pulled him out of the back entrance and into his car, waving at Sarah. "Thank you for everything! I'll make sure to take lots of pictures!"

"It was no problem! I hope you two have fun!" She waved goodbye as they drove off, Rosie in her other arm, and smiled as they disappeared around the corner. She'd known them both since they were just twelve, after they'd all been friends for a bit. They'd all grown so much since then. 

Lafayette used to be so timid, afraid of being made fun of for his accent and for his lack of knowledge on American culture, of the country that he claimed to love so much. Now, he was a star, unafraid of much and especially a fan of the spotlight.

Then there was Alexander, his brother. He'd showed up a bit after them all and was just so different. He'd been polite enough to her, but it had been clearly forced for a while, not that she minded. She couldn't imagine how hard things had been for him in the years before. And the poor boy was so skinny. In just weeks, he'd become healthier than Sarah had ever imagined him, both physically and mentally.

Of course, credit for that had went to John. He was a hothead himself at first. Though nothing but a gentleman to Sarah, he'd often come to the shop with a new bruise from boxing and a few that she assumed were from school fights. Some of them were. Lafayette had helped him through that, helped him to find other ways to solve his problems and helped him regain his passion for the arts that his mom had left him. 

And, oh boy, then there was Thomas. Somewhat of a bully to the other boys for a while. Sarah wasn't blind, though she was incredibly forgiving. She could see the boy that he changed into around Johnny. He still had the most growth to go through, but he was trying. 

Then, finally, there was her precious son, Hercules. He'd always had trouble making friends due to his strong build, always assumed to be some sort of bully when he was the sweetest boy that Sarah knew. He was so lonely before he met his friends. He had so many problems trusting them before he knew that they were serious. Sarah couldn't be happier to see him as he was. 

All of her boys... They'd all grown so much. And there was still so much growing left to do. 

Lafayette pulled up at the dance with a wide smile, parking his car and getting out with John, wearing heels at least twice as high as his friend's. Sarah had done his makeup beautifully, with powder blue eye shadow blended perfectly with his skin and a deep pink lipstick being the center of her brilliant work, Lafayette looked especially like a princess. And the tiara on his head only helped. 

John took a deep breath before smiling as well, still a bit unused to the corset. His makeup was far simpler, a with a lighter shade of pink painted onto his lips and simple eyeliner. It was his hair that Sarah had spent most of her time on. If it had been down, it would have reached his waist since she'd straightened it, but, for the time being, it was up in a bun on his head, tied down with a yellow scrunchie and finished by a tiara. John wasn't one to dress up too often, but for the night, he was a princess. 

Alexander and Thomas were waiting at the entrance for him in their respective costumes, clearly avoiding each other, though both of their jaws dropped when they saw John. They may have seen him the night before, but something about him now was so different, so amazing and so perfect compared to then. He truly was their princess. 

But, as agreed, he was on Alexander's arm as they walked in, Thomas holding his hand and trailing a bit behind. This was a surprise from Alexander, so it was only fair. 

Lafayette stayed back and waited for Hercules by his car, looking everywhere for him. They agreed to meet out there in the cars... He didn't forget, did he? Lafayette began to get discouraged after a few minutes. Hercules didn't even respond to his texts... And it was starting to look like rain... He began walking towards the entrance when he was held back by two arms around his waist. 

"Did you really think I'd forget you?"

Lafayette beamed and turned around as fast as he could, smashing his lips into Hercules's. "You had me so worried!"

"I'm sorry.. I had to settle a few things at the shop." He smiled and took a minute to admire his boyfriend. "God.. You look gorgeous..." He cupped his cheek and kissed him, pulling away as he felt a few drops on his face. He took off his suit jacket and put it around Lafayette's shoulders before leading him inside. Once they were in the warmth, Hercules unwrapped his jacket from Lafayette's shoulders and pulled it back on, Frances spotting them from across the hall, despite the growing crowd. She grabbed Martha's hand and smiled at George. "Excuse us." She pulled her away and looked around for Theodosia and Aaron, finding them smiling and standing together in a corner. "Can I borrow her?"

Theodosia looked up at Aaron. "Sorry.. Would you mind?.."

"No, not at all." He kissed her cheek and let her go. 

Frances smiled and pulled them all towards Lafayette and Hercules, all of them gasping at the sight. 

"Laf, you look gorgeous!"

"Oh my god!"

"You're a princess!"

Theodosia turned towards Hercules, but the other two still shied away from him. "Oh my goodness, did you really make that? It's amazing!"

"Thanks. Theodosia, right?"

She nodded. "You've heard about me?.."

"Of course. I've seen the pictures Lafayette sent me of your work with makeup. You're very talented yourself."

She was taken aback. "Oh my god... Thank you so much.."

"No problem." He smiled and turned to Lafayette, who had gotten the girls to calm down. "Shall we dance?"

"I would love to." Lafayette took his open hand and went with him out to the dance floor. 

Frances sighed as she watched them walk away, Martha seeming to agree. 

"I don't know who I'm more jealous of.."

"Exactly. Lafayette gets to look like that and have a boyfriend that looks like that, but Hercules has probably the best boyfriend ever."

Martha nodded. 

"At least you have someone."

"It's nothing permanent. It's one date, not even a real date."

Frances shook her head. "You, my friend, are in denial. Come on, I'll take you back to your boyfriends." As she walked, Frances let herself feel sorry for herself. She spoke a big game, but when it came down to it, she got lonely too... But, if she hadn’t found someone by then, maybe it was for a reason. Theodosia had to go through a lot to find a nice guy. Maybe it just wasn't time yet.


	62. Chapter 62

After about half an hour, Thomas walked towards John and Alexander and tapped the latter's shoulder as they stood together against the wall. "May I?"

Alexander reluctantly nodded and gave John up. "I'll go find you later."

John kissed his cheek. "Alright." He went with Thomas to the dance floor and smiled as they danced together. "Are you having fun?"

"Now that I get to dance with you, I am." Thomas kissed John's hand and smiled, dancing away his time with him. "I'm so glad you still love me.."

"And I'm glad that you've become someone that I'm proud to still love."

Despite the implications of a negative past, John was still more than glad to be in love with Thomas and that thought alone made him smile. He spun John around before pulling him close again as the music began to slow down. He put his hands on his waist and relaxed under John's touch as he put his own hands on his shoulders. "I'm so lucky to have you.."

"Don't say it like I'm some miracle. I'm just John."

"You're my John. I lost you once and I don't plan on losing you again." He kissed his forehead.

John smiled and let Thomas hold him close as they danced, as happy as can be when he wasn't too busy focusing on his steps. If there was something that John wasn't, it was a dancer. And Thomas was a romantic, dancing was in his blood. He didn't want to just be a second rate dance partner. 

He wasn't the only one with those worries. Theodosia was staring in a school musical and she was a cheerleader. Aaron, on the other hand, hadn't been to any sort of dance in years and it was the first time that he was leading a partner dance. He couldn't help but glance down at his feet, trying to find some kind of sense of rhythm inside of him. He wanted his night with Theodosia to be perfect. 

But she seemed to pick up on his anxieties. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just not much of a dancer... But you're incredible at it."

"I'm not all that.. For what it's worth, I think you're doing great. I know it's your first time at a dance as... As Aaron.. But you've been doing a great job so far."

Aaron smiled, a light blush dusting his cheeks. Theodosia was as sweet as sugar and she had the looks of a true mermaid, especially since Lafayette had done her makeup exceptionally right after drama. All he wanted was to match up to that. 

But, in Theodosia's eyes, he already was. "Aaron?"

"Yes?"

"Maybe I could lead the dance?.. I feel like you'd be more comfortable with that and it's not like it means anything bad if you don't lead."

"I really want to do this for you..."

"I know you do, but I don't want you to stress yourself out too bad because of it. You should be having fun."

He smiled a bit. Theodosia was so understanding. "Alright.. It's alright with me."

She smiled and led the dance, both of them visibly having more fun that way.

Theodosia was right, Aaron realized. Maybe he didn't have to be so perfect with everything or have to be the one to lead her in a dance just because he wanted to prove he could be a good boyfriend or that he was good at being a guy. He knew that he was completely a guy in Theodosia's eyes and that's what really mattered. 

Martha's own experience was a bit more awkward. She and George were standing against the wall and she was denying his every attempt at getting her to dance with him. 

"Please? It'll be fun."

"I only agreed to come with you because you made that big, fancy show of it in the cafeteria. I don't really like you and you don't have to pretend to like me."

He frowned. "Do you think I'd really make that big of a show out of it if I didn't like you at least a little bit? I knew you'd say no if I asked you any other way.. Just give me a chance to prove that I actually care. What could I do to prove to you that I do?"

Martha just shrugged. 

George sighed. "Alright, then.. I'll let you have fun with your friends."

He walked off and Martha felt a pang of guilt. But she really shouldn't have! Because he was just messing with her, trying to embarrass her... Right? 

"Martie! There you are! It's almost time for us to go on! Where's Theo?"

"Uh... I think I saw her somewhere over here.." She walked with Frances and found Theodosia, both girls stealing her from Aaron and taking her to the stage. They got ready and did a quick warm up before hopping onto the stage. A few people stopped and turned towards them, but not everyone until Martha started strumming her guitar to the light, familiar melody.

Theodosia took a deep breath. This was just like performing at drama. This was just like performing for her friends. She could do this. She opened her eyes and smiled as she began singing Kiss The Girl. 

Lafayette smiled from where he and Herc watched. Theodosia truly did have the prettiest voice.

Hercules put his arm around Lafayette's waist and pulled him close. "Don't mind if I do." He smiled and kissed him softly. 

Lafayette smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around his neck, not caring who looked. 

Hercules smiled and pulled away slowly. "I love you so much.. Like so so much..."

"I love you too." He pecked his lips again and kept dancing with him, resting his head on his shoulder. 

Thomas smiled as he leaned down and kissed John, just like Hercules had Lafayette. "I'll always accept an invitation to kiss you, sunshine."

"You don't need one every time."

"No, but I'll feel better with one." He pecked John's lips again. 

John smiled at that. "You really are a different person. I love it. I love you."

"And I love you too." He leaned down to kiss him again, interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Alexander looked at him expectantly, then tutted, giving him John's hand. 

John kissed Thomas's cheek, then turned his attention to Alexander as the pair began dancing. "This has been an amazing night."

"And it's only going to get better for you." 

"When am I getting this supposedly amazing surprise that I keep hearing about?"

Alexander smiled. "Soon, I promise." He leaned up and pecked John's lips. "God.. I feel so lucky to be here with you. You look like a princess, like you're my princess."

"I can be your princess whenever you want."

"I do want you to be. I just need to learn to treat you like one.."

John smiled. "Alexander, don't you get it? As long as you try to treat me like a princess, I'll feel like one. Or, rather, like a prince."

"But you deserve so much more.."

He shook his head. "I'm so happy with you as you are. You don't need to do anything more for me. Just because Thomas is extra doesn't mean that you have to be."

Alexander sighed. "If you say so.. I still say you deserve better. And I'm going to make things better starting right now." 

"What are you talking about?"

He checked the time. Only a few more minutes. "You'll see in a little bit." He took John to the side and stood with him against the wall, eating snacks and drinking soda with him until the last song for the time being faded out. 

Aaron stepped up to the microphone that time and smiled. "Hello. First of all, I want to thank you all for coming out tonight. I know that at least some of you are here to support the Political Debate Society and the freshman class in our newest joint project, but there is one person who hasn't heard about this yet."

Alexander smiled widely and grabbed John's hand, pulling him towards the stage. 

"Where are we going?"

"Just follow me." He kissed his cheek and kept pulling him along. Once they got there, he helped John with his skirt as he reluctantly climbed onto the stage. 

Aaron nodded and handed the microphone to Alexander, the crowd applauding. 

"Hey, guys. As you probably know, I'm Alexander Hamilton. I'm the person who had the idea for this whole thing and, as some of you know, I did it as a surprise for my amazing boyfriend, John Laurens."

John couldn't stop his face from burning bright red as everyone applauded for him. Just what was Alexander up to this time? 

"But I couldn't have done it alone.. John's polyamorous and has a second boyfriend that deserves some credit for this as well. Without Thomas Jefferson, we wouldn't have been able to get this amazing venue and a lot of you might not have heard of it."

Thomas smiled as everyone applauded for him as well. But this wasn't his big moment. 

Alexander smiled and continued speaking, taking John's hand. "For those of you who don't know, John is an amazing artist and I learned that he's not just profiting off of natural talent. His intentions are incredibly pure. John does art because it's a form of release for stress, it keeps his mind straight. And it reminds him of his late mother, bless her soul... So, in his honor, all of the profits from this dance are going to supporting the creation of an art department in our school. And, from what I've heard, we're on a great start."

John felt his heart stop and felt tears streaming down his face as he heard that, hugging Alexander as tightly as he could as the crowd roared. This surprise was more than John could have ever imagined, more than he ever would have thought Alexander would do for him. To say he loved the surprise was the understatement of the century! He kissed him until he couldn't anymore, more than glad that the lipstick was smudge proof and the eyeliner was waterproof, though he didn't think that would be much help, as hard as he was crying. 

Alexander couldn't remember the last time he'd felt that happy. He hugged John back just as tightly and gladly accepted every kiss, his smile being completely immovable from his face. Nothing could ruin the night and if anything tried, Alexander was going to be damned if he let it. 

Once he finally regained a bit of composure, John stood up straight again and wiped his eyes, though it was rather pointless with him still crying and all. He didn't think he'd be able to stop bawling. 

Alexander told everyone to keep enjoying the dance and the music came back on as he led John back down the stairs, careful not to let him fall. "I told you you'd love it."

"I more than love it! I can't believe you! This is amazing!"

Alexander hugged him again, pulling away as Thomas came up to them.

The second that Alexander let him go, John practically launched himself into Thomas's arms, giving him almost as much affection as he'd given Alexander. 

And Thomas gladly accepted all of it. "You deserve this, sunshine. If anyone deserves the chance to make their dreams a reality and change some lives, it's you."

"I love you both so much. I could never ever repay something this huge!"

"You don't need to," Thomas assured. "You're paying us back everyday that you're just you."

John smiled and hugged him tightly again, stumbling a bit as he pulled away. Apparently, he'd been crying so hard that he'd gone dizzy. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that he was dating the two most amazing people he knew, two people who were making a whole art department in their school just because he mentioned it. "I have to go wash my face.." He hugged both of them before walking away and going back towards the bathrooms, people congratulating him as they passed. He smiled and thanked them, then kept walking. John Jay glared at him as he walked in his direction and John expected him to confront him, but no. He just bumped his side and kept walking. John winced a bit and raised a hand to his ribs for a split second before he just kept walking. 

Alexander smiled at Thomas. "Thanks for your help. I know you did this for John, but thanks."

"No problem. As long as he's happy, I'm happy."

He nodded. If John was happy, they were happy. 

Thomas smiled. "I'll be back in a bit." He walked away, leaving Alexander to just stand to the side alone. 

Not that he minded. He was as happy as he could be. 

John splashed water on his face and used makeup wipes to clean off what was left of his makeup, reapplying lipstick and doing his eyeliner as best as he could. When he got it decent enough, he smiled and went back out into the hallway, hearing the loud music blaring from the hall. Before he could reach the door, two arms wrapped around his waist and he was pulled against a strong chest. He chuckled and put his hands over those arms. "Always ready to flirt, aren't you?"

"How can I help myself when you look so beautiful?"

John felt himself go pale. That wasn't Thomas's voice. 


	63. Chapter 63

He tried to break away, but the arms were too strong around his waist. “Who the fuck are you?”

“You’d think you know. Last time you heard me talking, it was in court, where you got off free for breaking my leg defending my stupid ex.”

James Reynolds. John kept fighting his grip and he’d usually be out of it without a fight, but he felt so weak. And that dizziness never went away. What was happening to him?..

His answer came out of the bathroom as Reynolds dragged him towards the back entrance. John Jay came by with a sly grin.

“What did you do?..”

He held up a packet of pills. “You really should watch what you drink. Turns out, James was after you and I hate you, so I helped him out. In return, he hurts you in the worst way I know how to.”

“All that time in prison because of you and Maria. I know what I’m doing.”

In John’s mind, he was screaming and thrashing, but whatever Jay had put in his drink simply sucked the life out of him and he was hardly moving, hardly making any noise. He was completely at their mercy.

Thomas went into the bathroom only a minute later, furrowing his eyebrows as he saw that John was gone. Maybe he already went back into the- Woah! He almost slipped on some lipstick tube. He tutted and picked it up, furrowing his eyes. The color seemed a bit too familiar. He walked out and kept looking down, finding a phone.

He felt his heart drop.

He ran out into the main hall and looked around. Think… Think… He knew this building better than anyone there. Whoever was there would find a back entrance without a fire alarm. And the closest one was… This way! He began running and went straight out of the door, fire filling his eyes at what he saw.

He ran forward and tackled the other guy off of John, beating him down into the concrete until he heard the weakest voice coming from John, calling for him. He jumped off of the half conscious stranger and gave him one last strong kick before going to John. “I’m here for you.. I’m going to see how hurt you are, okay?”

He made sure to wait for a weak nod from John before he checked under his skirt. John didn’t seem to be too badly hurt, but it was clear that Thomas had only gotten there seconds too soon. He heard a camera click from behind him and turned around, growling as he saw John Jay with a phone.

“I tried to be your friend, Thomas. Have fun getting your reputation back up after this.”

Thomas jumped to his feet and grabbed the stupid thing from Jay’s hands, smashing it too pieces against the ground, about to do the same to Jay himself.

John moved around a bit and tried to sit up. “Tho… Thomas… Home…” he whimpered.

Thomas paused, giving Jay just enough time to run, and let his expression soften before he turned to John. “We have to get you some help, sunshine..”

John whimpered and shook his head.

“I’ll be with you the whole time. We have to make sure you’re okay.”

After another few seconds, John replied. “Okay…”

“Can I pick you up?..”

He nodded.

Thomas scooped him up and carried him to his car, reclining the front seat as much as he could. “Are you hurt anywhere?.. He didn’t hurt you anywhere else?”

John shook his head. “He touched me…” he whimpered. “Jay.. bad stuff in my drink…”

“He drugged you?..” He sighed. “I’m calling the police. I’m not letting that monster get away with this and I’m not letting Jay run free, okay?”

John cried softly and nodded, curling up as Thomas stepped outside and did just that.

When the police and ambulance arrived, Thomas sat with John in the back of the ambulance, holding his hand as the paramedics took his vital signs.

Jay was dragged out of the building kicking and screaming and an officer behind him had the pills that he’d kept in his pocket in an evidence bag. James Reynolds was in an ambulance too, but with more officers than anyone else.

Thomas sighed. “Do you want me to get Alex?..”

He shook his head and held Thomas’s hand tighter.

He nodded and kissed his hand. “Can I tell him what happened? I’ll tell him you don’t want anyone else around.”

He nodded and Thomas did just that, seeing that Alexander had been spamming his phone.

[tomas, wers jon? I cant find him] [serisly, im worying] [if ur doin da do jus tel me, but im woryd] [tomas, thers cops and ambulans her, wer r u nd jon?] [tomas, pls! jon wont nsr me eder!]

[I’m here and John’s with me. I’m going to tell you what happened, but John doesn’t really want me to let you come along. xx]

[ud betr not b fucin lyng]

[I’m serious, Alexander. I told you I’d never do anything to hurt John. xx]

Alexander frowned. He just wanted to know that John was okay. [fin]

[John got drugged by John Jay and sexually assaulted by this James Reynolds guy or something. xx]

Alexander felt his heart stop. He completely shut down, unable to respond, unable to talk, unable to think. What was he supposed to think? Supposed to do? Go to sleep and act like his boyfriend hadn’t just almost gotten raped? Like he didn’t want him to be there right now?

“Alexander, are you alright?.. Where’s John?..”

“I… I…” He began clamming up and just gave his phone to Lafayette, who went pale at the texts before frantically responding. [It’s Lafayette, can I com and make sure hes okay?]

Thomas frowned and asked John. “Do you want to see Lafayette?..”

He thought for a few seconds before shaking his head. “Just you…”

“Alright..” He figured that John would change his mind later, but for now, it was best to just listen. [I’m sorry, I really am, but John says he doesn’t want to see anyone else. xx]

[Thomas, if you are lying to me, I will castrate you with my bare hands.]

[I’m taking you serious, Laf. I need you to trust me for John’s sake, please. xx]

He sighed. [Fine.] He gave Alexander back his phone. “Maybe he just needs his space right now… He doesn’t want to see me either. He’s not mad because of the pamphlet.” Of course he knew that Alexander thought it was because of that.

And Lafayette was right. Alexander visibly relaxed at hearing that it wasn’t only him, but only by the slightest amount. He was still worried about John.

“Let’s go home, okay?.. We can talk to him later, I promise. He’s going to be just fine.”

Alexander nodded and let Lafayette lead him out of the hall, joining the rest of everyone in a flood towards their cars.

Lafayette sat with him in his car for a few minutes, letting everyone get to their own and letting the crowd clear up as he called Hercules. “I’m going to be with Alexander. I have to make sure he’s okay.”

“What about you, Laf?.. I want to make sure that you’re okay too… John is like a brother to us both..”

“I’ll be fine..”

Alexander reached up and grabbed his wrist. “Let him over.. He can sleep with us as long as you two aren’t all gross..”

Lafayette smiled softly and nodded. “Why don’t we all stay together? You, me, and Alexander?”

“Alright. I’ll pick up Rosie and some clothes, then I’ll be at yours. I’ll see you then, baby.”

“I’ll see you then.” Lafayette hung up and began driving, taking Alexander home.

Luckily, George and Martha were already asleep, so they got upstairs without a problem, changing in their own rooms before laying down in Lafayette’s.

When Hercules got there, Lafayette let him in and he joined them upstairs with little Rosie, laying down with Lafayette and Alexander. He kissed his datemate’s cheek and they all fell asleep.

Thomas paced around the waiting room as he was forced to stay there, John getting checked out somewhere in another room. He only stopped when a nurse came in, calling his name. “How is he?”

“He’s going to be okay. We want to keep him just until the drugs leave his system, then do another quick evaluation, but, from the details we got from him, we highly doubt that he could have contracted any diseases, though we did make sure to test him. He should be getting those results in a few days or a week. Over all, John is going to be just fine.”

Thomas sighed and relaxed. “Thank you so much..”

“It’s my job. You can come see him and I think you can make a case for staying the night. You’re his boyfriend?”

Thomas nodded.

“Then having you here should be nothing but beneficial for him.” She smiled and led him up to John’s room.

The freckled boy was laying in his bed, watching the tv in the corner and wearing a hospital gown underneath the blankets. He smiled as he saw Thomas and opened his arms for him, hugging him as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Thank you..”

“No need to thank me.. Even if I wasn’t your boyfriend, I would’ve kicked that guy’s ass without a second thought.”

The nurse smiled. “He’s going away for a long time. He may not have done any permanent damage, but it was damage all the same and he does have a record.”

John nodded. “Thanks..”

She nodded and walked out.

Thomas laid down beside John and put an arm around him. “How are you feeling?..”

“High as hell… But I’ve been worse.”

“Poor baby..” He kissed his forehead. “Do you need anything?”

He shook his head.

“You still don’t want anyone else here?”

He shook his head again. “Just you..”

“That’s fine.” He smiled a bit.

“Thomas?..”

“What is it, baby?”

“Is the dress okay?”

He chuckled. “It’s not in too bad shape. I’m sure Sarah would understand and help you.”

John just nodded.

“Go to sleep, sunshine.”

He nodded again and fell asleep, Thomas sleeping beside him.

In the morning, John woke up to a gently nudge from one of the nurses, Thomas still fast asleep beside him.

“Sorry to wake you.. I just need to ask a few questions about your condition.”

He nodded. “Okay..”

“How are you feeling this morning?”

“I’m kind of sore everywhere.. And my head kind of hurts, but I’m not too bad. Like, if I had the flu.”

She nodded and wrote that down. “Is there anything else?”

“No. I’m alright otherwise.”

“Great.” She smiled and gave him a brochure for a therapist. “I recommend seeing this doctor when you’re ready. It’s not necessary in the healing process, but I highly recommend it.”

John nodded, pretending to consider it. “Thank you..”

“Of course. We just need to run a few quick tests, then you’ll be ready to leave.”

He nodded again and let her test his reflexes. He couldn’t even let them test his pupil dilation the night before because he cried and thrashed as soon as it started thanks to how blown out his pupils already were. And Thomas had to hold him as they took his temperature and hold his hand as they got his dress off and checked him for physical damage. He was a mess made a whimpering child by drugs.

“All done.”

John blinked a few times. Already? He only vaguely remembered a few followed instructions, but it seemed that he’d spent his attention on his own internal turmoil.

Thomas began to stir. “What time is it?..”

“It’s just about to be 8 in the morning. Mr Laurens is ready to go home once you’re ready. You can run and bring him a change of clothes, if you want.”

Thomas nodded, then sat up and stretched once the nurse left. “I’m going to get you some clothes.”

He nodded and gave him his key, checking his phone as he waited. He sighed as he saw all of the missed calls and messages mainly from Alexander. He called him, knowing that would put him more at ease than just a text.

Alexander had been half asleep, but answered in record time. “Hello?”

“Hey… It’s me.. I’m okay..”

“John… Thomas told me what happened last night. I’m so sorry..”

“I’m going to be okay, I promise. I hope you know I’m not mad at your or anything… I just don’t really want to see anybody..” He didn’t want to be coddled, made to feel like what happened broke him. It hurt, but John had easily been through worse. Thomas knew how he wanted to be treated, not in any way special, but like he had someone there if he changed his mind. Lafayette was too soft as to try not to treat him any differently and Alexander saw John as fragile, as he’d already made clear. And Hercules would no doubt treat him differently, too, seeing John as a younger sibling. Thomas was probably the only person who wouldn’t since he understood what it was like not wanting to be treated differently, most people did just that when they learned just how rich his family was, and he understood that he wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

When he came back, John changed into the outfit that he’d brought him, just a simple shirt and some sweatpants, then went with him back to his apartment. John immediately took a nap with Thomas, then got up and ordered some pizza a few hours later, neither of them feeling much like cooking. John ate most of it, though he made sure to leave enough for Thomas, then got up and pulled his shoes on, looking at Thomas.

“Want to come with me?”

He got up and grabbed his shoes before asking, “Where are we going?”

“I kind of just want to go to the gym.. Blow off some steam, work out a bit or something.”

“That sounds good.” While he’d gone out to get John some clothes, he’d also gone home and quickly changed into a tee shirt and shorts, ready to just relax for the whole day, so he was ready. He got up and went to the door with him, walking out behind him. “Where are you going?” he asked as he walked right past the car.

“I prefer to walk.”

Thomas nodded and followed him down the street. John seemed independent on the outside, but they both knew that he needed Thomas following him and keeping an eye on him for a while. “So.. what did you say to the nurse about therapy?..” He knew it was a sensitive topic, but he wanted to see what John would see.

“I said I’d think about it, but I threw the brochure she gave me into the trash..”

“I get it.. Nobody’s forcing you to do anything.”

John nodded and flinched as he leaned against a light pole at a crosswalk, feeling the sharp sting of static. It normally didn’t bother him, but he couldn’t help it, not while he was thinking of that time only moments before.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.. I’m alright.” And this time, he was telling the truth. Of course, the memories still made him jump sometimes but it was nothing serious anymore. Not like the time when he burst into tears after someone offered him a stick of gum, only for it to shock him. That was so embarrassing…

“Alright.” He kept following John until they got to the gym. As usual for the weekends, it was fairly empty, so the pair played some music as they sat in the weight room, not talking much because, frankly, they didn’t have to. The few shared glances or song lyrics that they sang out loud was more than enough to know that they were both okay. Things weren’t great, but it was a good start.

Once they were warmed up, they headed into the boxing ring at John’s request and after his promise of not hurting Thomas. It was an interesting match up. Thomas wasn’t too largely built to be fast nor was he too thin to be strong while John was thin and shorter, but strong for his size and with speed to match it.

But Thomas wasn’t a boxer. John saw his moves from a mile away and it was only a few minutes before John won the match.

“Alright, you got me. As the runner up, I get to give your your prize.”

John smiled and leaned up, letting Thomas give him a quick kiss. “And as the winner, I declare this day to be over. I’m ready to go home.”

“So am I.” Thomas smiled and followed him out, then walked back with him, getting a call from his mom as they walked. He tutted and answered. “Hello?”

“Thomas, where are you and Lucy?”

“Lucy’s at a sleepover with her friends this weekend and I’m with my friends.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

He rolled his eyes, knowing just what to say to get out of this. “I did.”

“You did?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh. Well, have fun then.”

He sighed as she hung up and put his phone back in his pocket. It’d been that way for years, probably ever since Lucy was born. No, even before that. Always, maybe. It was so easy for Thomas to get away with anything when no one paid attention. It was one of the reasons he’d fallen for John so fast. He did.

When they got to the apartment, they laid on John’s couch with pizza that they’d picked up on the way and put on a movie, spending the day quietly.


	64. Chapter 64

They started with Spider man: Homecoming because of John. 

"Do you only watch movies to look at cute guys?"

"Not only," John responded simply. 

Thomas tutted. "Why would you want to watch them when you have me here?"

"I need some variety. I already have two boyfriends and I don't have time to take care of another."

He chuckled. "I'm pretty low maintenance."

John snorted a laugh.

"Oh, come on. All I need is your attention. I can live without everything else." He grabbed John's shoulder and rolled him over so he was facing him. 

John went along with it and smiled. "Someone as extra as you is not low maintenance. And you do need constant attention."

"I'll give you that. And I need your full attention right now."

"That's good for you."

Thomas tilted his head up and leaned down, letting John decide whether or not to kiss him. 

John smiled and leaned up, kissing Thomas softly. 

He put his hand on his waist and pulled John close, deepening the kiss. 

John's guard spiked for a second, but he was able to ignore it, knowing he could trust Thomas. He wrapped his arms around his neck and moved closer, humming quietly into the kiss. 

Thomas smiled into the kiss and toyed with John's lip, his hand slipping down to his hip. 

Again, John's attention spiked and he froze for a split second, but he didn't want to let it bother him. The last thing he wanted was to let it get in the way of his life again. 

Thomas pulled away. "Do you want to stop?.."

John shook his head. "I don't want to go all the way or anything.. But I like this. I like kissing you. And I'm not afraid of you, I just.. I can't help it..."

"I get it.. Maybe we should stop then.."

"No, I'm okay.. I know I'm jumpy, but I'm fine, I promise.."

Thomas nodded. If there was one thing that John wouldn't lie about, it was consent. "Don't be afraid to say anything if you do want to stop."

"I won't be. I trust you."

He trusted him. It was music to Thomas's ears, almost as great as hearing that John loved him. He leaned down and kissed him again, quickly getting back into the moment. 

John was careful not to mix his instincts with his own wished and kept kissing Thomas as they laid there. He pulled away again as Thomas's hand started moving a bit lower. "Yellow..."

He nodded and moved his hand back up.

The next few hours continued similarly, with Thomas and John exploring John's boundaries and trying to get him a bit more comfortable with touch, only because John explicitly asked to try it. They were extremely careful with safe words, especially Thomas. It was a trust building moment for them both as well as a way for John to help prove to himself that he wasn't broken. After a few hours of just making out, John got hungry again and they stopped for food, finishing leftovers from earlier. That time, they laid in John's bed after eating, resting in each other's arms. 

John sighed and rested his head against Thomas's chest. It felt so good to just be held there. It made him feel so safe, so protected. He loved the feeling. With Alexander, it was nice to hold him and know that he wasn't alone, but what he needed at that time was Thomas. And he hated it, he hated that he didn't want Alexander there, but he also knew better than to settle when it came to self care, as much as he used to do exactly that. 

"What's on your mind, sunshine?.."

"I want Alexander here.. But I really want you to just hold me like this..."

"I see.. Why don't we get him over here and he can lay with us? I know we don't like each other, but you know we can handle being around each other when it comes to you."

"Are you sure?.."

"I'm more than sure."

"Well.. What about him?.."

"I think he'll be alright just knowing that you want him here." He got his phone and texted Alexander. [Come over to John's to cuddle xx] [His request xx]

Alexander didn't even respond. He jumped to his feet and put on decent looking, comfortable clothes before heading downstairs, announcing that he was going to see John as he dashed out and down the street. 

When he got there, Thomas kissed John's forehead. "I'm going to be right back."

He nodded and let him leave, burying himself in the blankets up to his neck. 

Thomas smiled and got up, going to the door and buzzing in Alexander at the gate before opening the door for him. He tried to walk right past him, but Thomas stopped him by grabbing his shoulder. "Listen.. I know you'll be tempted to coddle and dote on him, but don't. He doesn't want to act like this hurt him anymore than it did. You know John's been through a lot."

Alexander frowned. All he wanted was to dote on John, treat him like a prince. 

"I'm serious.. I wouldn't just say this for me. Like go ahead and go a little soft on him, but don't make a big deal out of this. He's okay, just a few bruises and he's a little jumpy."

"Alright.." He sighed and followed Thomas back to the bedroom, smiling when he saw John. "Hey.." He went to him and laid down in front of him under the covers. 

John smiled and wrapped his arms around Alexander, pulling him close and holding him. "Hey." He kissed his cheek. "Sorry about freaking you out.. I'm okay, I promise."

"I'm glad... And I'm glad that asshole is going back to jail. Along with Jay."

"Me too.." John muttered. 

Thomas crawled onto the bed behind them and wrapped his arms around John from behind. 

Immediately, he tensed up and squeezed his eyes shut. 

Thomas began letting him go, but John grabbed his arm and shook his head. 

"I'm okay.. Just.. Give me a second.."

"Okay.." 

John took a deep breath and relaxed back against Thomas's chest. "I'm alright." It was just like how they'd done earlier. John could tell when he freaked out because he didn't like the touch versus when it was instinctual. It only took him a few seconds to get past the fear the first time and it became easier each time. That was all he needed. Time. 

Alexander cupped John's cheek. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just a little anxious." He smiled and pecked Alexander's lips. 

"You promise?.."

"I promise."

Thomas sent Alexander a warning look, but John was okay with it. 

He knew it'd take a bit for Alexander to stop doting on him completely and he could tell he was trying, the line between being a good boyfriend and a spoiling one being a thin one. So he just leaned down and kissed Alexander again, a few seconds more this time.

Alexander melted in his arms, missing the feeling of those amazing lips against his. With Thomas anywhere around, he knew that John was going to use his safe words without a doubt, so he pulled himself closer. 

John let him do just that, only feeling his anxiety peak as Thomas did the same. It was nothing to do with how it felt and more to do with the pressure. It was too much pressure, too closed in, slowly he felt like it was getting harder to breathe. He pulled away from Alexander and looked back at Thomas. "Can you move away a bit?.."

"Of course I can." He put a few inches of space between himself and John, seeing him visibly relax a bit. 

John took a few shaky breaths and shut his eyes, judging how bad he was trembling. It wasn't too bad, nothing enough for a panic attack. Good. He opened his eyes and smiled again. "Okay. I feel better."

Alexander nodded. "Good."

It was an evening well spent with both Thomas and Alexander stealing John's kisses and just letting him drown in their affection. It was one of the few things they could work with each other on, just spoiling John. They only stopped when his stomach growled loudly. 

Thomas kissed John's cheek. "You two can stay here. I'll go make something for us."

"All three of us?" John asked. 

"All three of us." He got up and left. 

Alexander was surprised by the offer, Thomas would have left him starving without a question not too long ago, but he supposed he did it for John. The last thing he needed was for them to start arguing. 

And it seemed like the perfect thing for Thomas to say. John smiled as he walked out and looked down at Alexander, pecking his lips. "Thank you for being so civil about him being here.."

"Of course. You need him here and I'm not going to stop that just because I don't like him. You matter so much more to me than that." He cupped John's cheek. 

John smiled and grabbed his hand, kissing his knuckles. "I promise we can have some alone time soon.. I know I haven't been paying as much attention to you.."

Besides, if John actually felt that way, Thomas would be gone. John didn't want Thomas gone and Alexander wasn't going to force him to make him leave. "Don't feel like you have to. I get it, we're both your boyfriends and you can't exactly be at two places at once to go out with us both. It was one of the rules we made, you shouldn't feel like you have to split your time between us."

"You're so amazing.. I'm so glad you understand." He kissed him softly and pulled him close. 

Alexander smiled. He hated Thomas being anywhere near them, but if he was rewarded with John's sweet affection like this, he hated it a little less. Of course, nothing was going to stop him from hating it, but he didn't feel bad about it. He was sure that John knew and that Thomas felt the exact same way. 

But, boy, was he wrong. Thomas glanced into the room and smiled before walking back to the kitchen, not wanting to interrupt the pair. Of course, he wished that it was him kissing John instead of Alexander, but Alexander made John happy and he knew that they were in love, just as he and John were in love, so they were clearly going to want some alone time. He was far from being as jealous as Alexander about it. 

And John thought that Alexander was the same. He assumed that Alexander knew that he needed Thomas there and wouldn't have minded, as if it were Laf or Herc. He would've understood if he was a bit jealous, but the last word that he would've used to describe how he thought Alexander felt was hate. 

But hate he did. He hated having Thomas around, he hated that it took that much to make John happy, he almost wished that he'd never agreed to letting Thomas join them, but he wanted John to be happy, even if he himself wasn't. After all, Thomas was good looking, popular, apparently sweet when he wanted to be, and romantic. And he could afford to treat John on dates. He was the perfect boyfriend and more and Alexander couldn't help but feel not only inferior, but threatened by him, especially now. Maybe John knew that. Maybe John knew how much it tore Alexander apart and he was being extra sweet in the time that he wasn't spending with Thomas to make it easier when he finally made the obvious choice. After all, John couldn't be with two people forever, could he? It didn't matter much now, but in the future, getting married, something that he could only do with one person, and raising a family with both of them? The idea was ridiculous. Alexander knew that he and Thomas could never get along well enough for that long. 

Still, he refused to bring it up. He'd keep it all inside. It seemed stupid to do such a thing after all they'd been through. But Alexander had a reason, one that made sense, at least in his head. The longer he kept this hatred and jealousy inside, the longer he kept it from John especially, the longer it would be before he left him. 

So, for the time being, he just kept kissing him, enjoying every last minute of it as if it were the last because, in Alexander's mind, it could've been. 

Of course, John was blissfully unaware of those thoughts. Things were so much different in his mind. He would have loved a future with both Thomas and Alexander. He didn't care if they ever got officially married and he almost didn't want to, not wanting one of them to have that bond with him while the other wasn't allowed to. And as for raising a family? He wasn't sure how that would work out only because he wasn't sure they'd be allowed to adopt. Maybe they could find a surrogate or a friend to help them. He was sure they'd find a way. 

Less than a month ago, he'd been out with Alexander and Susan grocery shopping and he distinctly remembered that afterwards, both were in love with the idea of living a life together. The difference between then and now? 

In John's mind, it was that, now, Thomas would be in the picture.

In Alexander's mind, it was that, now, he had an idea that Thomas was going to push him out of the picture. 

Thomas hadn't thought much about a future with John, focusing more on the present and keeping the relationship going as long as was possible. But if he had to describe one, both John and Alexander would be there, from the looks of it. Him and Alexander might grow to at least be friends by that time, but, if not, it wouldn't be much of a problem. He didn't like Alexander now and Alexander didn't like him, but they were both working to make John happy, to let him be with both of them because he loved both of them, something that, Thomas had a feeling, wasn't going to change for a long time. 

He finished making the lasagna and let it cool on the counter, sitting on the couch and scrolling through his phone as he waited for John and Alexander to join him. 

John smiled as he pulled out of the kiss, sighing contently. "I love this... I love you.. I love you so much.."

Alexander smiled. Despite all of his anxieties, those words never failed to put him at ease, to bring him to the top of the world. "I love you too.." He pecked his lips. 

John shut his eyes and rested his forehead against Alexander's, a hand on his cheek. After a few seconds, the smell of lasagna started to float into the room and he was reminded about where Thomas had left to, his stomach growling loudly. "Sorry.." he chuckled. 

"It's fine."

John sat up. "Let's go see if we can eat yet." He held Alexander's hand and led him to the living room, Thomas looking up at him and smiling. 

"Hey, sunshine. I knew the smell would get you out here." He got up and went to the kitchen, coming out after a minute with three plates, one for all of them.

Thomas could also cook. That was something else that Alexander couldn't do, he realized. 

John sat on the couch beside Thomas, Alexander sitting beside him, and began eating, humming in satisfaction. "You are the best."

"Thanks." Thomas kissed his cheek and ate with them. "I don't know about you two, but I'm so ready for Spring Break in a couple of weeks. What do you want to do?"

John smiled. "Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot to tell you. We're going down to South Carolina for an art gallery."

"Are you going to be okay with that?"

"Yeah.. Alexander already kind of got me past my initial worries. I'll be fine. And I really want to visit my mom while we're there.."

Thomas nodded. "I hope you two have fun."

"Well, I was thinking that maybe you could come with us.."

Alexander clenched his teeth. It was just supposed to be him and John on that trip. It was the one thing he'd been looking forward to, besides the dance, since Thomas joined them. 

"Would you be okay with it, Alexander?" John asked a second later.

What else was he supposed to say? "Of course I am."

Thomas smiled. "I'd love to join you guys."

"Great! I'll talk to James about it. He should have some more information on it by now. I'll be right back." He kissed both of their cheeks before leaving, clearly excited about the trip. 

He went to the hallway and called James.

"Looks like we'll have to spend some more time together. Maybe we could try and get along a little better, for John. I'm not saying we have to be best friends or anything, but I doubt John likes watching us fight all the time."

Alexander just huffed and looked away, still eating. 

Thomas rolled his eyes. "Look, I don't like you either, but we agreed we'd try for John."

"You just want to look like the good guy so John won't see that you had any hand in getting rid of me."

This again? Really? "I'm not getting rid of you. Like I said, you make John happy. If anything, I'm more in danger here. He'd have such an easier time dumping me than you."

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not just saying it. Trust me, if I wanted you gone, you'd be gone. You've pulled too much shit for me to forgive you, but John forgave you, so I'm dealing with it. Why can't you stop being so jealous and do the same?"

Alexander got up and walked out. 


	65. Chapter 65

James answered the phone after a few seconds, clearly expecting John's call. "I was wondering when you'd call."

"Hey, James. I was calling about Spring Fest. I was just wondering when we'd go there, when we'd come back, that kind of stuff. I just want to get the dates right."

"No problem. Let me see.." He took a minute to get his calendar out and checked the dates. "The event goes on all week, but we don't have to be there the entire time, and it starts at 3 and ends at midnight each day. So, I was thinking we can drive up there on Saturday and come back the next one. Does that sounds alright to you?"

"I think so. I'll get back to you on that, but that sounds good, thank you."

"No problem. So, how's you artwork coming?"

"Pretty good. I'll definitely have a lot done by-" He jumped as he heard the door slam, dropping his phone and taking a few seconds to compose himself. He took a deep breath and picked his phone back up. 

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just got surprised for a sec.. I'll be good on the art. I'll get back to you on the dates."

"Okay. Bye." 

John hung up and went to the living room, looking around. Thomas was resting his head in his hands and Alexander was nowhere to be found. "Where did he go?.."

"I don't know.."

"Why did he leave?!"

"He should tell you himself. I'll tell you if he doesn't."

John nodded and ran outside, Thomas getting up and following him. He found Alexander at the gates as they opened, calling after him. "Alex!" He yelped as he tripped over a rock.

Alexander turned and began walking back towards John, but he stopped as Thomas reached his side first.

"Are you okay?.."

"Yeah, I just-" He began getting up and winced as he felt his rib bothering him again. He stood up and began walking towards Alexander, only to find him gone. 

"John you really shouldn't be walking.."

John didn't respond, staring at the space where Alexander ran from, hoping he'd come back. 

"Come on.." He scooped John up, careful to shift the pressure off of his ribs, and frowned as he began crying softly. "Sunshine.."

"He promised..."

"I know.. I'm sorry.." He took him back to the apartment and sat him in the bathroom on the counter. He cleaned his cuts and scrapes before bandaging them up and finishing with a kiss. 

It didn't seem to cheer John up in the slightest. He kept crying softly and just let Thomas clean him up. 

"Just let it out, Johnny.. Can I see your rib?"

He nodded and held his arms up as Thomas pulled off his shirt, crying harder as he pressed against his rib.

"I'm sorry.." He kissed it before slipping John's shirt back over his head and carrying him to bed, laying down with him. "Do you want me to get Alexander?.."

He shook his head. 

"Do you want me to tell you why he left?.."

He hesitated before nodding. 

"Okay.. He's jealous of me.. He still thinks I'm going to steal you from him."

"That's dumb.. I love you both and I thought he knew it.. This is my fault. I should have been giving him more attention."

"Don't blame yourself, baby. He's an adult, he should be acting like it. We all know what we agreed to. If he didn't like it, he should have said something, not hurt you like this.."

John frowned and buried his face in Thomas's chest. 

He kissed the top of his head and rubbed his back. "What do you want to do?.."

"I don't know.."

"You take your time. If he does come back, you can decide then." But Thomas had a feeling that Alexander wasn't going to dare to show his face anymore. 

And he didn't plan to. He went home and went upstairs to his room, ignoring Lafayette as he greeted him. 

He frowned and followed him, knocking at the door. "Alex?.."

"Go away."

"Please let me in.."

"I said go away! I don't want to talk to you!"

He sighed and went to Martha. "Mama.. Alex is upset... I don't know what's bothering him, but it seemed bad.."

"I'll go talk to him." She put down her book and got up, going to the kitchen. There was a system she'd learned to use with Alexander when things seemed bad. 

Step one, give him time to cool down. Alexander's anger never failed to simmer itself out without anything constantly fueling it, so it was only a matter of time before it became manageable. 

Step two, get to baking. Alexander was not a big eater, but he could not resist home baked sweets, namely a warm batch of chocolate chip cookies or, in cases this bad, brownies. 

Step three, presentation. The second that the brownies were cooled, she put them on a plate and headed up to his room, passing George on the way. 

"Oh, brownies... It's that bad?"

"I'm afraid so." She kept walking until she got to the door and worked on step four, mom voice. "Hey.. Can I come in?.. I made brownies?"

And, without fail, the door ended up unlocked after a minute. She pushed it open and saw Alexander curled up under his blankets. 

"Hey, sweetheart.. Are you okay?" 

His only response was sticking out an arm and grabbing a brownie, pulling it into his pit of depression and eating it. 

"That bad, huh?.."

That time, he took the whole plate. 

"Talk to me about it.. Is it something with John?.."

"...."

"You can tell me." She put a comforting hand on his arm and got the usual reaction, immediate sobbing. "You're okay.. Just let it all out.."

He did just that, switching between stuffing his face and sobbing. 

She stayed right there and gave him all the time in the world to cry. Lafayette even brought the second batch of brownies that she'd put in the oven. 

Eventually, he began to slow down until he was just sniffling and nibbling brownies. "I keep messing things up.. I don't want Thomas there, but I want John to be happy... And I thought he knew that I hated him being there and that he was going to leave me because Thomas is a dreamboat, but I'm wrong and I ran and John chased me and I kept running, even though I said I wouldn't and now he actually has a reason to break up with me and I wouldn't be surprised because I've been a lousy boyfriend, but I love him to much!" he spilled out in a heap of words. 

Martha nodded along, listening to every word. "John has been very understanding and so patient. I think if you just tell him how you're feeling, he'll understand. And John loves you. He's not leaving you for Thomas, if he has a brain."

"But he's so hot and romantic. I'm short and awkward."

"If looks mattered all that much, makeup for men would be a serious industry."

"But he can treat John to dates."

"If you think he cares that much about money, we are not talking about the same John."

"But he loves him.."

"And he loves you. Honey, I know you see John as a miracle sometimes, but he's not a mind reader. If you're having issues, you need to talk to him."

"He won't want to see me right now.."

Even Martha couldn't deny that. "How about this? You send him a text or give him a call, whichever you think will be better, then you give him some space. Let him come back to you when he's ready to talk."

Alexander nodded. "I'll do that... Thank you.." He sat up and gave Martha a hug, eyeing the brownies. 

"They're all yours."

He took the plate and put the now empty one where it had been. 

Martha kissed his cheek and took the plate down to the kitchen, bringing back up a glass of milk for Alexander. 

"Martha?.."

"Yes, sweetie?"

Alexander smiled. "You're a great mom..."

She felt her heart swelling, just as she always did when Alexander called her mom. Heck, she got the feeling when Lafayette called her mom. She knew she'd never replace their real mothers, but it filled her with joy to be considered anywhere near the level that Alexander's mom or Lafayette's grandmother were. "And you're a great son." She smiled and walked out, letting Alexander snack in peace. 

He put down the plate before grabbing his phone and taking a deep breath, calling John. Of course he didn't answer... He left a message. "Hi, John... I'm so sorry.. I was being stupid and I let my feelings bubble up again.. I want to tell you all about why I ran off and I want to try to make things better, I really do.. But I know I say that a lot and I get if you're getting sick of it.. Please give me some type of sign, at least, of how you feel... I know I fucked up, but I want to fix it.."

John ignored the call and the message as he relaxed with Thomas. He loved Alexander and he could never stop loving him. He knew that. No matter how badly Alexander hurt him, he could never truly stop loving him. But he needed a break. He needed a bit of time to recover. The Laurens Pamphlet was an easy fix. Thomas and Lafayette got there to help him before there was any permanent damage done and he easily covered it up. 

This situation was more complicated. The last thing he wanted to do was to break up with Thomas, but he wasn't going to break up with Alexander, that was not an option. He didn't know how to truly show him what he meant to him, how he truly loved him and Thomas the same, but he'd find one and everything would hopefully be okay.

But John needed a break. He may have been stubborn and took more hits than he could stand, but he was hurt bad by watching Alexander run. He needed a break from Alexander hurting him as he did, from the argument that would no doubt come out of it. Last time, he just slept off the pain. He felt ashamed to say that, this time, his break was going to be spent in Thomas's arms. 

He knew he shouldn't feel so guilty about it, all three of them agreed to a relationship and they had a clear discussion on what that meant. Just because Alexander was jealous, that didn't mean it was John's fault, that he was the one who did wrong by not being able to control his feelings. 

Still, he knew that he should have been a bit more sensitive to Alexander's feelings. That time with Thomas was exactly what had gotten them into that mess, exactly what Alexander was afraid of.

He should have told John about it. 

But he knew he didn't want to hurt him. 

Instead, he hurt him worse by bottling it up and letting it boil. 

They both knew Alexander had that problem.

And they were supposed to be working to fix it. 

Alexander loved him.

He should have been better at showing it.

John clutched his head. This was too much. Too many thoughts in his mind. Too much ideas to go over. Too much pain. Too much. 

"Sunshine, what's wrong?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He glanced up at Thomas, showing that he wanted to speak, but seconds after, his eyes darted away. And they kept darting. He put his hands in his hair and tugged, whimpering and trying to find a way to shut out his thoughts. "Bright.. too bright.." was all he managed to squeak out and Thomas made quick work of shutting off the lights and drawing the curtains. He took a few shaky breaths before regaining some of his composure. 

"Can you talk to me?.." Thomas asked softly.

John nodded. "Anxiety attack.. A lot longer than... than most of my panic attacks but less... less severe.. I just can't.. I can't think... Too many thoughts... My brain's in.. in hyper drive.."

"You take your time, okay?.. Do you need anything?"

He shook his head. "First few minutes are.. Are the worst.. I can... I can handle it..."

Thomas nodded. He didn't know the first thing about mental health. He just trusted John to take care of himself. "Can I touch you?"

He nodded. "Color system.."

"Right. You can use that whenever you need." He put a hand on John's side and gently rubbed circles into his waist with his thumb through his clothes. "How's this?"

"Green.."

"Good." He smiled softly and watched as John slowly calmed back down. 

"Okay.. I feel a bit better.." He slowly moved his hands out of his hair, moving them down to clutch his shirt. "Thank you.."

"Of course.." He leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Is that it?.."

"No.. My thoughts are racing and I can't stop shaking, but it's nothing too much.."

He nodded. 

"Can we just cuddle?.."

"Of course." He got back in the bed and pulled John close, running a hand through his hair and massaging his now irritated scalp. 

John wrapped his arms around Thomas's side and just held himself there. He took a deep breath. Then he let it out. 

"Do you want to listen to Alexander's message?"

"No."

"Alright." He kissed the top of his head. 

It wasn't long before John fell asleep, his trembling slowly stilling and his breath slowly steadying. 

Good, Thomas thought. He needed a break after that day. He pulled the blankets over them both and made sure John was warm before falling asleep. 

When John woke up the next morning, Thomas was still fast asleep, so he got up and went to the kitchen. Making him breakfast was the least John could do. After all, he'd really helped him out throughout the entire weekend and he'd been especially mature about... about Alexander screwing up like that. It hurt to even think about what he did. But that didn't stop his stupid intrusive thoughts.

If Alexander made a detailed post about every time John was raped, he'd get a major case of deja vu. 

John shook off the thought. He was not going to forgive Alexander, but also wasn't going to resort to childish finger pointing. 

Not like Alexander himself, who preferred to justify his mistakes than to fix them. 

John hissed and grabbed his head. Damn it. He couldn't stop himself from thinking that way. He took a deep breath. They were just thoughts. He could ignore them. He exhaled and kept cooking. 

When Thomas woke up, he was surprised to find John gone, but didn't let it worry him, not with the smell of breakfast coming from the kitchen. He got up and followed the smell, finding John sitting in the living room in his pajamas. "Why aren't you ready for school?"

"I'm not going.." he muttered. "I'm not feeling great.."

"Are you sick?" He went over and felt John's temperature. He was burning up. "Poor thing.. I'll take care of you."

"No, you go to school. I promise I'll call if I need anything."

"I'm staying with you."

"You're going or I'm going with you."

Thomas frowned and sighed. John was pale as a sheet. Taking him anywhere was a bad idea. "Alright... I'll go. But I want you to call me the second that you want me to come home. I'll drop everything and get here as soon as I can."

John nodded. "I will.."

Thomas kissed his forehead. "I'm not coming back until kind of late because of drama, okay?"

"Okay.." 

He sat with him and they ate breakfast together, then he left. 

John pushed himself to his feet and shuffled back to the bathroom, taking some medicine before going to bed. 

Alexander paced as he waited for John behind the school. Where was he? Wasn't he coming to paint? Apparently not, he realized as the bell rang. He sighed and went inside, expecting to find him in class. He wasn't there either, but Thomas was. "Where's John?"

"He caught a cold. He made me come in today."

He frowned. "Someone should be caring for him."

"Oh, now you want to be there for him," he replied coldly. "Do you know what happened after you left? John cried for hours until he cried himself to sleep, blaming himself for your stupidity. If you wanted reassurance, all you had to do was ask him, not stress him out. But I guess that's just what you're good at."

Alexander tutted. "Well, at least I didn't-"

"What? Are you going to bring up the one negative incident that went down between us? Are you going to bring up the times that I'm actively trying to make up for? The times that everyone else forgave and forgot because they're so used to doing the same to you? Why don't you shut up about my mistakes and do something about your own? I told you again and again, if your relationship with John dies, it won't be because of me, it'll be because of you. You don't want to believe me, fine. But all you've done is prove me right." He grabbed his stuff and moved to the front of the class. 

Alexander just sat there, silently for the rest of the class. What else was he supposed to do? He couldn't start a fight and he knew damn well that he couldn't argue against what Thomas said. It was going to take more than a shouting match and a few kisses to get back onto John's good side, he knew that. But what was it going to be?..

After class, he upped and left the building. He knew going to John wasn't going to fix things. He had another plan up his sleeve. 


	66. Chapter 66

Lafayette looked around for his brother as he walked into his second period classroom, furrowing his eyebrows. "Thomas, where is Alexander?"

"Fuck if I know. All I know is he can't get to John right now."

"What happened last night?.."

Thomas sighed. "Alexander still thinks I'm going to take him from John, even though John's gone through the effort of making sure that Alexander knew that he loved us equally and I've gone through the effort of letting them be alone when they wanted to. So, without even bothering to try and talk to John, he ran out. John had an anxiety attack and stressed himself sick because Alexander wants to act like a kid."

"And how is John? Did you leave him alone?"

He hesitated before nodding. "But he asked me to. He told me to come in or he'd come in with me and I wasn't going to risk letting himself put himself in worse condition. He's alright for the most part after Friday, thank god, but he's still kind of stressing about it.. I made sure that he'd call me the second he needed me and I'm going to call him later at lunch and before drama."

Lafayette nodded. At least he was being responsible about it. 

Thomas showed him a picture that John had just taken, a selfie where he was watching movies on his computer. "See? I just asked him for a selfie and he says he's doing alright."

"How does he feel about what Alexander did?.."

"I don't know.. I was too focused on making sure he was okay, knowing that he's sick. But he refused to listen to the message that Alexander left for him."

"Okay.." John and Alexander made a beautiful couple, but he had to side against his brother this time. He was the one who kept hurting John and, if he continued, Lafayette was going to have to make sure it never happened again. Yes, they both had their share of issues, but John made an effort to be careful when it came to Alexander's. 

Later that day, at lunch, Thomas was taken away by three curious freshman. 

"Hey, we heard that John got into some trouble this weekend. I was just wondering if he was okay," Theodosia said. 

"He's been better.. But I think he'll be alright really soon."

"Aren't you his boyfriend now or something? Why aren't you with him and Alexander?" Frances asked. 

"Things are complicated... Him and Alexander aren't on the best terms right now.." He knew it wasn't his place to say. His relationship with John was essentially separate from Alexander's relationship with him. 

"That sucks.. They do make a cute couple. And you actually look kind of cute with John, too," Martha said, smiling. "I hope everything ends up okay for you guys.."

"So do I... Thank you guys. I'll see you tonight at rehearsal."

They waved and walked off, Theodosia going with Aaron and Francis sitting with Martha.

They'd only gotten to eat in peace for a minute before George King came up to them, a single red rose in hand. "Martha.. I want to apologize for before.. I know I can be arrogant and obnoxious at times, but I really do like you. You're the only one who stood up for me when we were little and that stupid bully would steal my crowns or when everyone called me gay for getting my ears pierced or ever, really. You are a really cool girl and I want to try again in asking you if you'd be my girlfriend.."

Martha was rendered speechless by the sweet gesture. It was downplayed, simple, and genuine, something that she never really saw out of George King. And, when she did see it, it was always real. "I.." She took a deep breath before smiling. "Yeah.. I'd love to be."

He smiled and gave her the flower. "Excellent. Would you mind if I sat here?"

She glanced at Frances. "Uh.."

"Of course she wouldn't. I was just about to go get some extra practice in for drama. You two have fun."

"Are you sure?.." Martha asked. She didn't want to make her friend leave for a boy. 

"I'm sure. I was supposed to ask Lafayette for some help." She got up and went to Lafayette, tapping his shoulder. "Can you give me some of that vocal help now? I don't want to disturb Martha and her new boyfriend."

"Of course." He smiled and got up, turning to Hercules. "You can come with us."

He smiled and nodded, getting up and following them to the auditorium. when they got there, Lafayette and Frances hopped on the stage and Hercules sat in the front row watching them. 

"So, you were going to help me with the higher notes, right?"

"Right. I know most people have trouble with that. It's difficult, but not impossible. The most important part to remember is not to overdo it. You can't wear your voice out too much before the actual show. That's why I'm going to take all of my high parts down an octave most of this week."

"Alright." She nodded and Lafayette began the music for Candy Store, the song for her with some of the highest, most intense parts. He sang along with her and helped remind her of how to push through the notes and just let them out. They also went through Me Inside Of Me for some quieter high notes, but she seemed to have those notes down, especially since there was less movement involved. 

"I think you have a good idea of what you need to do. You're going to do great this weekend."

Frances smiled. "Thanks."

"Of course." He hopped off of the stage and walked out with Hercules, both heading to their next class.

Frances stretched and hopped off stage before walking out into the hallway, bumping into a kid as they read on their phone, making them drop it. "Oh! I'm so sorry.."

"It's no problem." They picked their phone back up and showed her the screen. "See? No harm done."

She nodded and smiled as she saw what they were reading. "Be More Chill? Do you like the musical too or just the book?"

"It was actually the musical that made me want to red the book, just to see the parallels and the differences. It's not half bad. Have you read it?"

"No, I just know the musical. So, you like musicals? Are you going to see the school musical this weekend? We're putting on Heathers."

They furrowed their eyebrows a bit. "You don't look like a senior."

"That's because I'm not," she informed proudly. "I'm a freshman."

"I thought Heathers was a production by the senior class."

"Yeah, but our class is doing King Lear and me and my two friends said fuck that, so we tried out and we're the Heathers."

"Oh, I see. Let me guess. Heather Chandler?"

"Yep! What gave it away?"

They shrugged. "You just seem the type. I'll see if I can go. It sounds interesting."

"Great! I'll see you then. I'm Frances." She held out her hand.

The stranger smiled and shook it. "I'm Lauren. It's nice to meet you."

"Laurens, so she/her pronouns?"

"Or they/them. Whichever you prefer."

She nodded. "Well, she/her pronouns for me."

"Understood. I'm actually surprised, people don't usually ask for my pronouns."

"I didn't want to assume anything. I usually do ask for pronouns, unless I hear someone else using them."

"That's cool. I wish more people would do that."

"Me too."

Lauren smiled. "Well, I should be getting to class. I'll see you around."

"I'll see you." She smiled back and walked off, feeling her heartbeat just a bit faster. Frances never was sure of her romantic or sexual orientation, but she was now sure about one thing. She sure as hell wasn't straight. 

Lafayette, on the other hand, knew for a fact that he was pansexual, but his gender seemed to escape him. Sometimes, he felt fine as a boy, others, he felt agender. Other times, he wasn't sure which one he was and this was one of those times. Just like every other time, he looked through his phone for an answer, a slightly distressed look on his face. 

And even the slightest distress was too much for Hercules to bear. "Hey.. What's wrong, baby?.."

"I've been having trouble figuring out what my gender is.. It's bothering me more than I think it should, but I really want to find an answer.."

Hercules put a calming hand on his back. "What do you feel like right now?.."

"Not quite a boy, not quite.. Not a boy. I don't know.." The part that distressed him was the thought that was put into his head already as a pansexual person, that he was just making up terms to be special, to get the spotlight. He'd heard it when he was younger, still trying to figure out his identity, and it had stuck with him through the years. 

And those memories got him thinking. Those feelings were fixed before by someone who knew enough about gender and sexuality to confirm that he wasn't alone. That same person was out sick with a cold. He could ask John after class, or when he felt better, whichever time was better for his friend. The thought of John being able to help him put him a bit at ease. "Maybe John knows.."

"Yeah. He's good at this kind of thing and I'm sure he won't mind you asking."

Lafayette nodded and decided to send John a text, trying to explain his situation. [Hey, John, how are you feeling?] It was also a good time to make sure he was still okay. 

Apparently, Thomas had been checking up on John a lot because he sent a selfie without being asked, one of him painting in his bedroom, the window open as it always was when he painted. There was quite a bit more color in his face, but it wasn't completely back and his eyes seemed a bit more tired than usual. [A lot better than this morning. Thomas told me you asked about me. Thanks.]

[Of course! I was hoping you could help me figure something out, if you're not too busy.]

[Yeah, no problem.] Normally, John would've sent a teasing response about how Lafayette's true intentions were showing, but he knew when his friend needed him to be serious. 

[It's about my gender identity... I feel like a boy, but not like a boy, but not not like a boy, if that makes any sense....]

John only took a few seconds to think before responding. [Demigender. Specifically, demiboy. You're somewhere between agender and a boy.]

Lafayette sighed. John was a lifesaver. [Now that that's out of the way, there's a bit more to it. Sometimes, I do feel like a boy. Others, I do feel agender.]

[Never like a girl?]

[No, always between boy and agender.]

[Genderflux. You move on the spectrum between gender and agender. It's kind of like genderfluid, where your gender changes completely, only you stay on the same boy spectrum. You're valid, boo <3]

Lafayette giggled quietly at the message. [Thanks. You're the best!]

[No problem. Now I have a question for you. When you feel agender, do you prefer different pronouns? I know they don't matter for some people, but others really care.]

He thought for a second. The idea hadn't come to him much. He knew he preferred being called a datemate to a boyfriend, so maybe he would prefer they/them. [I'm not sure, but I can try it.]

[Alright. Feel free to correct me whenever I get it wrong.]

[Will do!]

John smiled and kept painting. He had so much to do and so much to think about. He was not going to blame himself for what happened between him and Alexander, he knew whose fault it was, but he also wasn't going to be completely furious at Alexander. He could understand where he was coming from, but he wished that Alexander had talked to him before letting his jealousy blow that badly out of proportion. He sighed and grabbed his phone, listening to the message that Alexander had left the night before with a slight frown. 

Their relationship was essentially built on his patience with Alexander and his trust in him, but Alexander didn't seem to trust the foundation, leaving John alone in most of the efforts to build up their relationship and make it better. John couldn't do it by himself, it was a two person project. 

Alexander's other problem was that he saw John and Thomas's relationship as fully formed, far more stable than his own with John, and was expecting John to abandon him for something much easier, but he only saw the surface. Deeper inside, Thomas and John had their own relationship issues, but Thomas was helping John to fix them, to continue the project that John had abandoned for a year.

John needed to convince Alexander of two things, for sure. First, that he was going to stay patient with him, even if he had his limits. Second, just because his relationship with Thomas looked better, that didn't mean his with Alexander's was worth any less. 

So he called him. 

This time, it took a minute or so before Alexander answered. "Hello?.."

"Hey.." John began, his voice soft. "I want to talk to you. Can you come over after school?.."

"... I can come over now.. I need to show you something.."

"What is it?"

"You'll see. You'll like it, I promise."

"I'll take your word on it. Just go ahead and call me when you get here, okay?"

"Okay. I'll be there in a bit." Once John hung up, he hurried and finished what he was typing before printing it out, tapping his foot impatiently at the printer. "Come on.. Come on..." He wanted to get to John's as soon as possible.

John didn't mind if Alexander took his time. He was in a mental bubble as he painted, the same way he always got when he made art. He was in his own world and his ringtone was one of the few things that could bring him back to earth. It was harder for him to get into the same zone when he painted at school, since he had to keep his guard up in case any teachers came around, but at home, it was only a matter of seconds when he lost himself in the art, taking the constantly evolving pictures in his mind and putting them on a canvas.

By the time Alexander got there, he had a good base and smiled at his process before going to the living room and buzzing him in. He waited by the door and unlocked it, pulling Alexander into a hug as soon as he saw him. 

Alexander gripped his shirt in his hands and held himself close to John. John, his John, who he did not deserve. He took in his familiar scent, the smell of paint and clay that seemed to permanently stick to him. He took it in in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

John shut the door and ran his fingers through his hair. "We have to talk about this..."

"I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have been so stupid..."

"I know. I can't deny that..." He gently took his hands and lead him inside and towards the couch, sitting with him. "Talk to me.. Please..."

Alexander hesitated at first. What if John didn't like what he said? What if he thought it was stupid and got upset at him? He ignored him for a whole day after he left him.. No.. John had been honest and patient with him. The least he could do was return the favor. "I'm jealous of Thomas... Because he knows you better and knows how to help you better than I can.. Because he's such a better boyfriend than I am.. Because you deserve him.. I'm just waiting for you to see it.."

John frowned and shook his head. "You're wrong.. I love you just as much as I love Thomas, I promise you. And you are a good boyfriend, you're both amazing boyfriends in different ways. He's more conventionally romantic, but I absolutely love spending time with you. Alexander, you're my best friend and my boyfriend. I can't lose you too.."

That was right.. John had lost too many people in his life for Alexander to walk away from this because he was afraid. He was trying to do what he could not to hurt John. Leaving him would be hurting him in the worst possible way. "I'm sorry.. I should have told you.."

John kissed his forehead and pulled him into a hug. "Anytime you feel jealous like that, I need you to tell me. If you want some attention, don't be afraid to ask for it." He kissed the top of his head and shifted so his legs were on the couch under Alexander, pulling him onto the couch with him and laying with him. 

Alexander buried his face into the crook of John's neck, holding himself as close as possible and enjoying the feeling of John running his hand down his spine. "You're too good for me.."

"I'm not too good for you. I love you." He kissed the top of his head. 

He smiled and wrapped his arms around his sides. "I love you too.." 

John kissed his head again before reaching over and opening his laptop. "Why don't you and I have a movie day?.."

"Yes, please.." Alexander smiled and turned around, enjoying the movie and adoring John's presence. 

Lafayette smiled and kissed Hercules as he dropped him off at drama. "I'll see you later."

"Alright. Have fun." He pecked his lips one more time before walking off, Lafayette walking into the drama classroom, where everyone was getting their costumes. Most of the girls were coming in and out, changing in the bathroom, while the guys mainly changed in the classroom.

Lafayette grabbed his costume and went to the bathroom, preferring to change in there. And there was something else he had to do.. He sighed as he looked in the mirror. He'd been growing out his facial hair ever since it started growing, but it was time to say goodbye for now. He tutted and shaved it off, cleaning his face. He looked so different, yet so the same. He rubbed his smooth cheek with a small sigh before changing. He was going to miss his facial hair, but now he looked like the Veronica Sawyer everyone imagined him to be, he thought with a small smile before going back to the classroom. 

The three Heathers smiled and walked up to him once he came back. 

"Wow, Laf, you look so different. I think that looks good on you," Martha commented. 

"Yeah," Frances added, "You look like a whole new person."

He smiled. "It's still the same me, now just without my beard." He raised his hand up and subconsciously rubbed his cheek. 

"I don't know. I think having the facial hair fit you better, but you still look good. You look more like a Veronica now," Theodosia smiled. 

"Thank you."

Thomas walked up to them all. "Look at Laf, really going for that girl-next-door look," he said with a slightly teasing tone. It was just how the two spoke to each other most of the time, playfully picking on each other back and forth. 

"Yeah. I see you've got the heartless heartthrob look going on. Or is that just how you always look?"

He rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Aw, I'm not heartless. I manage to fall for you, don't I?"

Lafayette shrugged. 

Eacker scrambled in, apologizing for being late as usual, before getting everyone out to the stage and starting the show, most of the costume crew being their first audience. 

While they took a ten minute break between acts, Thomas got on his phone and texted John. [Hey <3 Sorry I didn't text right after school, we were busy getting costumes settled. xx] [How are you feeling? xx]

[I'm feeling a lot better. And, just a warning, Alexander came over. I asked him to and we talked things out. I know you don't think it's a good idea, but I forgave him.]

Thomas frowned a bit. [You're right, I don't think it's a good idea, but I won't stop you. It's your choice. xx] [So, I'll see you after practice? Or do you want some alone time with him? xx]

[Can we have some alone time?]

[Of course. I'll see you tomorrow, then. xx]

[I'll see you then. I love you <3]

[Love you too ;* xx] Thomas sighed. Alexander was forgiven way too easily. Then again, so was he. He knew that. 


	67. Chapter 67

John put his phone down and smiled as Alexander came out of the kitchen with two plates in hand. 

"I'm not as good at cooking as you are, so bear with me.." He gave him a plate of pasta and sat down with his own, eating.

"I'm sure it's great." He began eating and nodded. "Yep, it's great." He kissed his cheek, making him smile. 

"Thanks.."

John nodded and took a few more bites before remembering. "Didn't you say you had something to show me?"

"Oh! Right. Sorry, I guess I got distracted." He grabbed his backpack and pulled out a stack of papers tied together with a ribbon. "I didn't know how to apologize, so I just wrote and wrote as much as I could to you..."

John smiled and hugged him, kissing him softly. "Thank you.. I really do appreciate this."

"It's the least I could do after throwing a fit like that.."

He smiled and began to pull at the ribbon, but Alexander stopped him. 

"Could you read it alone?.. I didn't think I'd be here when you read it, so some of it is kind of embarrassing..."

"There's nothing embarrassing about love, but if you really want for me to wait to read it, I will."

"Thanks.." Alexander kissed his cheek and watched as John left to put the paper in his room. 

When he came back, he wrapped his arm around Alexander and pulled him into his lap as they ate and watched Princess and The Frog. He preferred princess movies to Marvel movies most of the time, but he knew that Thomas wasn't a fan, so he always made sure to watch something that they'd both enjoy. But Alexander seemed to like the movies. 

And he really did, especially watching them with John like that. He leaned against him and ate as they watched it. "I love this.. Just quiet moments with you.." he muttered. 

"So do I." He kissed his cheek and rested his head on his shoulder as he ate. 

"So.. You never got to tell us about Spring Fest after I.. You know..."

John nodded. The memory still hurt, but he could bear to think about it and he could do so a lot more easily than before. "It's an all week thing, so we're probably going to try and leave on Saturday, then come back the Saturday after. Me and Thomas can take shifts driving, since it's a really long drive.."

"I wish I could help.." Alexander had never sat behind the wheel of a car in his life and for good reason. 

"It's fine. I don't mind driving. Anyways, the event is Monday through Friday, I think, from three in the afternoon to midnight, so we can spend the whole morning hanging out in the city. Maybe we can all choose some things we want to do while we're there. And.. I want to visit my mom on that Sunday.. That way I can spend as much time as I want with her..."

"Of course.. I'll be right there with you."

John turned and kissed his cheek. "Thanks.."

Alexander nodded and held his hand. "What else?.."

"Well... There might be only one bed in the room.. Would you be okay with all three of us sharing a bed? Or I could call James and get another one in the room."

"No.. I think I can do it, as long as you're there between us.."

"Yeah, of course."

"Then I can do it."

"Good." John smiled. "And since we're going to be all the way in another state, I don't know if we'd be able to get any alone time.. I don't really know where the other would go."

That, Alexander was a bit more hesitant on. He didn't want to spend the whole trip sharing John with Thomas... Then again, he was sure that John didn't want to spend the trip listening to them argue over who got John or worrying about how one was doing while he had alone time with the other. "I think I can handle that.."

"Are you sure?.. We could figure something out.. Maybe we could get another hotel room."

"No, I don't want you guys spending any more money than you have to because I'm petty.. I can handle it."

"Okay.. You know you can always tell me if you want alone time, right?"

He nodded and John kissed his forehead. 

"Good." He put his arm back around him and kept eating and watching the movie with him. Now he just had to have the same talk with Thomas. Hopefully, that would go over just as smoothly. He kissed Alexander's forehead and, before long, fell asleep. He was still sick, after all, even if he was dramatically better than before. 

When he realized that he was asleep, Alexander took their plates to the kitchen and cleaned them before putting them up, then went over and made sure John was comfortable. He laid him on the couch and pulled down the blanket over him before laying with him and falling asleep. 

In the morning, Alexander woke up first and felt John's forehead. He was still warm, but probably a lot better than he had been the day before, considering the fact that he had to skip school. He gently shook him awake before his alarm could. "Rise and shine.."

John groaned and reluctantly opened his eyes, smiling a bit at Alexander. "Hey.." he said in his raspy morning voice. "Is it time for school?.."

"That depends. How are you feeling this morning?.."

"I'm alright.. I can go to school. Just let me get up and get ready."

"Okay." He kissed his nose and went to the kitchen, making breakfast. By the time it was ready, John came in wearing his usual t-shirt and jeans. "Thank you."

"Of course. I'll go get ready, you start eating." Alexander left and got ready for the school day.

John did just that, taking pancakes and sitting down on the couch as he ate.

Alexander joined him after about twenty minutes, eating two before leaving with John, glad that he'd brought his backpack and a change of clothes when he came over the night before. 

Lafayette's wake up call was not as peaceful, not that he was going to complain about it. He woke up to his ringtone blaring and sleepily grabbed his phone, answering the call without checking the number. "Hello?.."

"Hey, Laf... Sorry, but can you come over and help me out?.." Frances asked timidly. "I need help shaving.."

"Of course I can. Text me your address and I'll be there as soon as I can." 

"Thank you so much.." She hung up and sent him her address.

Lafayette pushed himself.. no... Themself. They felt different than before, less boyish and more neutral. They pushed themself up and off of the bed, going to their closet and picking an outfit before grabbing their backpack. 

Before they could leave, Rosie made herself known by pawing at their legs and mewling, distressed by losing her parent at an earlier hour than usual.

They smiled and leaned down, scooping her up and kissing her head. "I will see you after school, don't worry."

She purred and accepted the reassurance, walking back to her bed and laying down as Lafayette filled her food and water bowl. 

They finished up and grabbed a quick breakfast before driving off, getting to Frances's house as soon as they could. 

When they got there, Frances opened the door and let them in, acting like they were her savior as she took them to the bathroom. "Thank you so much.. I know I should be able to do this myself by now, but.. yeah..."

"It's no problem. Maybe you'll feel better if I help you out. I shave every morning and I never get razor cuts. A lot of women do it, but most don't quite do it right."

"Really?.. My mom taught me, so you think I might just be doing it wrong?.."

"Yes. What do you usually do?"

She explained how she usually shaved and Lafayette taught her the correct way, showing her how different it was from shaving her legs. And she got through it with them without any cuts! 

"You're a miracle worker! Thanks, Laf!" She hugged them tightly. "I really appreciate this."

They hugged back and smiled. "Of course. Like I said, you can call me whenever you need. Even now, if you're feeling nervous about doing it yourself, you can call me. Do you need a ride to school while I'm here?"

"No, I still have to finish getting ready. I'll see you at school, okay?"

"Okay." Lafayette smiled and left, chuckling to himself as he realized that Hercules hadn't seen them clean shaven yet. They decided to keep it a surprise. 

When Alexander and John got to the school, they found Thomas already at the usual space behind the school, smoking. It was the first time in a while that they both looked at him and seemed disgusted, though John was far more discrete about it. 

Thomas smiled as he saw them, well, as he saw John, and waved, knowing he hated the smell of the smoke. He made sure to keep his distance as John got closer. "Good morning, sunshine. You're feeling better?"

"A lot better, thank you." He decided against painting and stood against the wall a few feet from Thomas, Alexander going inside so they could talk. "So, I told him a bit more about Spring Fest."

"That art gallery, right? What did you find out?"

"It's through the whole week, Monday through Friday, so I thought we could go that Saturday and leave the one after. We can take turns driving."

"That sounds good."

"Yeah. And it doesn't start until three, so that gives us some time to look around."

"What about Sunday? Are we just sleeping in?"

John paused for a second. "You guys can... I'm going to visit my mom.."

"Oh.. Do you want us to come with you?.."

"If you want. But only if you both want to. Otherwise, I can take you guys another time. I just.. I want you to either both be there or neither."

"I understand." Thomas nodded. 

"Thanks.." He smiled sadly. "I also told Alexander that nobody will really get any alone time with me. I just don't want the other one to feel left out or to be worrying about where they are or-"

"John. You don't have to explain yourself. It's fine, seriously. As long as I get time with you, I'm fine." He smiled and cupped John's cheek with his hands, stepping back as he caught a whiff of the smoke and cringed. "Sorry.. I know you don't really like that I smoke. It just helps relax me, you know?.." He didn't really want to quit the habit, but he wasn't upset at John for clearly being upset by it. 

"It's fine.. I wish you'd quit, but I won't make you." He absolutely hated the habit, and for good reason, but he didn't want to force Thomas to quit. 

Thomas sighed and blew out a cloud of smoke, facing away from John. 

"So.. Do you mind if we leave early that Saturday?.. I could take the first shift driving."

"No, I can do it. We can talk about it more when it gets closer, okay? Like next week."

John nodded. It seemed so soon.. Already just under two weeks away. He was anxious about the trip, particularly about visiting his mom's grave. He was also curious about going back to his home town, of course, but it didn't affect him nearly as much. He didn't have many friends as a kid, preferring to hang out with animals when he could. He did have one friend, but... He highly doubted he'd see her... 

He didn't even realize he'd been frowning at the thought until Thomas took his hand, his cigarette stomped out. "What's wrong?.."

"Huh?.."

"You look upset.."

"Oh.. Nothing. I was just thinking about an old friend.."

"Which one?"

"Her name was Martha.. I knew her back in South Carolina."

"You sure know a lot of Marthas."

He chuckled dryly. "Yeah.."

"What happened to her? Lost contact when you left?"

"No.. Not until a bit over a year ago..."

He frowned. "What happened?.."

John hesitated to speak, sighing as he was saved by the bell. "We should get to class." He walked to class without another word, Thomas following. 

"John?.. Is she.. You know.."

John didn't respond, basically confirming Thomas's thoughts. 

"Sunshine?.." He grabbed John's shoulder and turned him around, feeling his heart shatter as he saw tears streaming down his face. "Oh, baby.. Come here.." He put an arm around him and walked with him, taking him to the nearest bathroom and picking him up, sitting him on the sinks and cleaning his face. "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to make you upset.. I'm sure she was great.."

"She was.." He sniffled. "I don't know if she is for sure, but she was really sick last time I heard from her... I'm afraid of going back and seeing my mom and... and seeing her close by..."

Thomas pulled him into a hug, soothingly rubbing his back. "I'm sorry.. Do you know what she was sick with?.."

He shook his head, his teary eyes hiding his lie. It was not a conversation he wanted to have then. 

Alexander looked around the classroom, wondering where John and Thomas were. Luckily, Adams was running a bit late, so he pulled out his phone and checked Snapchat, seeing that they were in the restroom... His first thoughts said to stay put, but his curiosity got the better of him and he left the classroom, going to the bathroom and hearing soft crying. He quietly opened the door and stepped in, peeking around the corner and seeing John crying into Thomas's shoulder. "John?.."

He kept crying, but Thomas glanced over and waved him over.

Alexander hesitantly walked over and put his hand over John's free one. "Hey.. What's wrong, baby?.."

He calmed himself down a bit and wiped his eyes before taking a deep breath. "Thomas was just... We were talking about Spring Fest and I thought about an old friend.. One of my best friends.." He paused to choke back a sob. "She... I haven't heard from her in a year and she was really sick last time I heard from her.."

He frowned. "I'm sorry.." He kissed his hand and held it as John cried into Thomas's jacket. John seemed a lot calmer than he had been when he first came in. Maybe that was because he was there. Or maybe he was just being hopeful... But he hoped he wasn't. 


	68. Chapter 68

Of course he wasn't. Having Alexander there with him brought John's stress level down dramatically, just like having Thomas there did. It wasn't long before he finally calmed down all the way, sitting up and wiping his eyes. "I'm okay.." he assured. "We should really get to class.."

Thomas checked the time. "We should just stay here until next period. Class started half an hour ago and you know how Adams is."

"Okay.. I'm sorry.."

"Don't be," Alexander told him. "It's not like you did this on purpose. Besides, we're your boyfriends. It's our job to make sure that you're happy." After his night with John, that statement hurt much less to say. 

John smiled, both at their reassurance and at Alexander's statement. "What should we do now, then?"

Thomas shrugged. 

"Well... Maybe we should have another talk about this. So feelings aren't hurt anymore?" John suggested timidly.

Alexander nodded. "That sounds good.."

John smiled. "You guys do both know I don't have a favorite, right?.. I really do love you equally.."

Thomas nodded. "Of course I know that." He had to watch himself to make sure he didn't put an emphasis on "I". 

"I do too. I just... I can't help but get insecure sometimes.."

Thomas grinned a bit, about to tease him, but the look on Alexander's face said that it wasn't the time. He was supposed to try and get along with him, so he said something else instead. "What for?"

"You'd laugh. I know you would."

"Oh, come on. I'm not going to laugh at you. I can be a decent person, you know."

Alexander glanced up at him questioningly before sighing and explaining himself. "I just... You're clearly an attractive guy and you're so much better at treating John romantically, like royalty. I'm just... awkward."

"Well... Yeah, but that's what he likes about me. He likes different things about you, right sunshine?"

"Yeah. Thomas is more romantic, but I love you because you're awkward. Things are so much more relaxed and silly around you and I love it. I don't need to be romanced, but it is nice. You're my best friend.."

Alexander felt a bit better and it showed on his face, but there was always going to be this nagging monster of doubt in the back of his mind.

Thomas swallowed his pride and sighed. "What if I told you there were some things about your relationship with John that I'm jealous of?"

"I'd call you a dirty liar."

"And you'd be wrong. It's like John said, you get along really easily with him. You guys have this natural bond. I'm his boyfriend before I'm his best friend and you get to be both. I don't really do silly."

"Because you're not awkward."

"There's nothing wrong with awkward. Like... Aaron Burr. He's awkward, but he has a great relationship with Theo. Awkward works for some people. And you're not all that awkward around John."

Alexander didn't have a come back for that. It was true, he felt a lot more comfortable around John. 

"See? You guys are both insecure about some things. Every relationship has that. Like I said, we're not perfect and neither are me and Thomas."

"Okay.." 

John kissed his cheek. "What else is there?.."

"Can we do a joint date? Like all three of us? Not to, like, get me and Alexander together. Just so we can both spoil you."

John chuckled and looked at Alexander, who looked a bit hesitant on the idea. "What's on your mind?"

"It's silly.."

"This is a safe place. There is no silly."

"Okay.. If we do that, can we set a budget? I just.. I know I'll feel bad if Thomas, like, rents out a carnival or something and all I can do is buy your lunch."

Thomas snorted at the thought, knowing that it was something he'd do for John. "Alright. I'll chill on the dates. Let's keep it simple."

"Movie and a park picnic?" John suggested. 

"Perfect."

Alexander nodded. "I like that.. When? This weekend?"

"I'm busy with Heathers all weekend. I'm going to be wiped out. Maybe sometime next week after school?" 

"I'm alright with that. Friday? Then we can all get ready to leave so we can just pick up and go in the morning?" John suggested.

"I like that." Alexander smiled. Okay... Maybe this would work better than expected. 

"Can I still spoil him when you're not around?"

"I can't stop you."

John smiled. "You guys both know that I really don't care how much you spend? I just care about having a fun time. We could literally just sit and talk and I'll consider that an amazing date."

"Doesn't stop me from wanting to spoil you." Thomas kissed his cheek. 

"Me neither. You deserve to be treated like royalty. You look and act like a prince."

Thomas snickered. "Speaking of, have you guys seen Laf with his face shaved? He looks crazy different."

"I haven't, actually."

"Yeah, neither of us have seen them in a bit."

Alexander looked at John. "Them?.."

"Yeah. Laf told me they might prefer they/them pronouns. I don't know if they want to officially come out to you themself since you're their brother, so you're going to have to ask them."

"I didn't know people used that as a pronoun." Thus began another chapter of Alex wasn't an asshole, he just had a bad understanding of people. After the first incident, Alexander referred to giving birth as "shitting out," and the second, Alexander, dating a guy, had no understanding of gay sex, this wasn't a surprise to John. 

"Yeah, some people don't really identify as a boy or a girl. Like you know how most trans people identify as the opposite?"

He nodded. At least he knew that much. 

"Well, some people just don't identify with either. Or they do with both. Or a combination. Gender is weird like that."

"Oh.. So, Laf is?.."

"I'm going to leave that for you to ask them later. Then, if you don't get it, I'll help you explain it."

"Alright." Alexander kissed his cheek. "You're the gay genius."

John nodded. "The gay genius who couldn't accept his own gayness or polyamory until his wonderful boyfriends helped him."

Thomas smiled. "Sunshine, I'd drive into the sun if you asked. Validating you is just part of my normal routine."

John chuckled. "Thanks. Am I missing anything?"

"What happens if we do argue?.. Or fight.."

"With you two, I can't avoid petty arguments. But, like, full blown both of you yelling arguing... You guys can't come into my apartment until you make up. And I won't go over to hang out with either of you. Either of you caught claiming I did loses even more time with me. I know you guys aren't the best of friends, but I'm just asking that you don't fight. I really think you can do that."

They both nodded. For John, it'd be easy. 

"Alright. Now we're done. Right?"

They both nodded again, satisfied with the arrangements of their relationship. 

"So, are you two coming to every show we put on?"

John nodded. "I have nothing better to do. Alex?"

He nodded. "I like Heathers and Laf's in it."

"Great." He smiled. "I'm sure you guys will love it. You can have John for the whole week, Alex. But I call him for at least one day next week."

"I'm literally right here."

He chuckled. "Sorry. You know what I meant."

"Yeah. I was actually planning on just painting for the whole week. And I prefer to be alone, if that's okay.."

"Of course it's okay. I'll just stay at home and play GTA or something. You do your thing," Alexander reassured. 

John smiled. "You guys are great. Like.. I'm so lucky to be dating you two."

"I have to disagree. We're the lucky ones. Not everyone gets to date a prince," Thomas said with a flirt tone, making John giggle. He knew he loved his cheesy pickup lines. "Well, I guess calling you a prince wouldn't be right. You're definitely a wizard."

"Why? Because I look like magic?"

"Nope. Because every time I look at you, everyone else disappears." He pecked John's lips through his giggling. 

John slowly stopped his laughter and looked at Alexander. "Are you okay with us kissing like this?.."

"Yeah, it's fine. As long as you guys aren't, like, making out."

"Okay. So like normal, around other people kissing is fine?"

"Of course." 

"Good because these lips won't kiss themselves." Thomas leaned in and stole a few more quick kisses from John, Alexander glancing away awkwardly. 

He wasn't particularly bothered by the sight, not much more than if it were anybody else. He was more so bothered by how much he... wasn't bothered. It felt so awkward of an idea to just stare at them, but there was almost a part of him that wanted to.. And it made him feel like a perv. On one hand, John was his boyfriend and it was natural to enjoy seeing him so happy, but on the other hand, it seemed pretty weird that he enjoyed seeing him kiss another guy. Of course, if it was a random guy, he would've hates it, but not with Thomas. It was probably because he was John's boyfriend, too. Deep down, it was. Thomas was a familiar face and he made John happy and that made Alexander happy. 

It was a good thing because John's mind was almost always wiped clean by Thomas's kisses. He hardly noticed the awkward way Alexander was standing, assuming it was just because he was seeing his boyfriend kiss someone else. It wasn't enough to alarm him, not with Thomas kissing him. 

And Alexander was okay with that. He just wasn't okay with his own reaction to it. 

Thomas got lost in the taste in John's lips and shifted forward so he was standing between John's legs, almost unconsciously trying to push the kiss forward. He stopped the second that John put his hands on his chest and pushed him away.

"Yellow.." he muttered. They were getting a bit too carried away, not only because of the setting, but with Alexander right there. 

"I was actually going to go. Thomas has drama all week, so this is, like, all he gets with you."

"Are you sure?.."

"I'm sure." He leaned up and pecked John's lips, then walked out and went to the library, waiting for his next class. 

Thomas grinned and turned back to John. "Are you okay now?"

"Kind of.. But I also kind of want to chill a bit. We are still at school after all and this is not where I want to take things further with you for the first time. Or anytime," he added as he saw Thomas's cheeky grin, still smiling himself. "Can we just stick to kissing?"

"Of course we can." He smiled and got back to kissing John, wasting the next hour with him.

Unfortunately, all good things had to come to an end and the pair had to break things up to go to class eventually. They both fixed up their hair before leaving and going to class. 

When Alexander walked into the room, he almost did a double take as he saw the person who was supposedly Lafayette. "Laf?.."

They smiled. "Yes, I shaved for my role on Friday since we're having dress rehearsals this week."

"I just... You look so different. I haven't seen you without facial hair since you were, like, twelve." Alexander was about thirteen at the time and had been in the house for a few months by then. Imagine his shock when he saw his brother (... sibling?..) suddenly going from smooth faced to growing a beard. Poor Alexander had been growing through his own awkward changes, though his own facial hair was a lot more patchy, still growing in at the time. 

"I know.. I'm growing to grow it back as soon as I can. I already miss it." He sighed dramatically. 

"Has Herc seen?"

"No. I'm going to play a prank on him. I'm going to act like nothing is different and see if I can convince him that it's true."

Alexander shook his head and smiled. "Good luck with that. Your beard is part of you. He's going to know it's missing."

"That's what makes it fun! I want to try and convince him otherwise."

"You've been around me too much."

They shrugged. "Maybe that's it."

Thomas trailed into the classroom with an immovable grin on his face. 

Alexander scolded himself for the immediate thoughts he had. This was something he really needed to talk to John about, he realized... 

Thomas plopped into a seat beside Alexander. "No need to worry, we just kissed. A lot. But just kissing."

"I didn't ask."

"Just letting you know." He shrugged. 

Alexander ignored him and pulled out his notebook, wanting the conversation to end. 

Thomas, thankfully, let it be and got ready for class himself. 

Alexander sighed and turned to Laf. "Hey, John told me something about you using different pronouns? He said you might want to explain it to me."

Laf smiled and nodded. "It's not permanent, but, yes, I do want to use they/them pronouns on some days."

"Only on some?"

"Yes. I know it may sound weird, but I kind of switch between boy and agender. You know, like neither boy nor girl."

Alexander nodded, though it wasn't something he'd really heard about before. "So.. What are you now?"

"Pretty much agender. I'll find a way to see if I can make this easier to keep track of.. I imagine it'll get a bit annoying if you feel you have to come to me everyday to ask for pronouns."

"You're my brother. Er, sibling..? If it makes you uncomfortable when I use a wrong pronoun, I won't do it."

"Thank you." They smiled. 

"I'll keep it in mind, too," Thomas piped up, though his eyes were still down. "Lord knows Frances would murder me if I called her 'he'. I can't imagine you'd like it, either."

"Thank you."

"No problem." 

Eacker walked in and sighed. "Sorry again." The poor man was late for everything. 

Thomas spent most of the class texting John since the lesson was all about things he already knew from drama, though Alexander diligently took notes, not knowing a thing. Like why were they called understudies? Why not back up actors or something simpler? 

[Hey, sunshine <3 xx]

As expected, John wasn't paying attention to his own lessons either. [Hey, Thomas]

[What are you up to? xx]

[Ignoring my English lecture. I've heard this poetry lesson over and over again for years.]

[Aw, that must suck. xx]

[It does. We get it, if a poet uses the color blue, they're depressed. It's not just a color, got it.]

Thomas chuckled quietly. [Is it ever just a color for you? xx]

[If I'm painting a summer day, the green leaves don't represent new beginnings. They represent the fact that in summer, leaves are fucking green.] [If I draw someone in a red shirt, they're not angry or seductive. It's a red shirt. Not every color matters to me.]

[I see your point now xx]

[I'd hope so, I'm an artist.]

[Maybe we can skip in the bathroom, then? <3 ; ) xx]

[We literally just came back from that. We can't just skip every class to make out. I'm just going to sit here and not pay attention.]

[Pay attention to me then xx]

[What do you think I'm doing right now?]

[Exactly. Keep doing that. xx]

John smiled. [Alright. What can we talk about, though?]

Thomas thought for a second. This was what he meant with Alexander. If he had trouble thinking about what to talk about with John, it was because he couldn't choose. Thomas just didn't know what to talk about with him. [Not sure xx] [Maybe we can talk about what we'll do in SC? xx]

[I don't really remember what there was to do. We can talk about that later.]

[Alright. How's your art going for that event, anyways? xx]

[Pretty well. I think James has room to take it all for me, which is good because I am making a lot.]

[You're going to do great <3 xx]

[Thanks.] [I have to go, we're about to have a pop quiz. If you don't see me at lunch, it's because I've died of boredom.]

[Aw, good luck <3 xx] He decided to pay some attention to the class too, though he was hardly listening. 


	69. Chapter 69

After class, Lafayette stood outside of the classroom and played with their sleeves, waiting for Hercules to show up. 

"And how is my beautiful datemate- You look different. When did you shave your beard? Not that you don't look beautiful either way, I'm just wondering."

Lafayette smiled. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you shaved your face."

"Yeah, I shave every morning."

"Not your entire face."

They furrowed their eyebrows. "Yes I do. I shave every morning."

"..."

"You're acting weird. You're probably just hungry. Let's go eat lunch." They grabbed his hand and took him to the cafeteria, sitting with John and Alexander. "Hey, guys."

"Hey, Laf." John smiled, facial hair painted onto his face with makeup. 

Hercules just stared at him. He knew for a fact that John didn't grow facial hair.

".. What?"

"Why is there hair on your face?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Because I'm a guy? Hair grows on most of our faces."

"You're not one of them. I swear, I've never seen you with facial hair before."

"I've been growing it out since I was thirteen."

Lafayette shrugged. "He's been acting weird since I saw him. He claimed that I was the one who grew facial hair."

"Are you alright, man? You've known us since forever."

"I... I don't know anymore..." Hercules sat there, confusion spelled out over his face. 

"Maybe you should try eating something, mon amour.." Lafayette rubbed his back. "It might help."

He nodded and began eating his food. In that moment, his whole life seemed like a lie. 

Thomas came over and sat beside John. "Hey, John, I was just- Oh, you have something on your face there." He licked his thumb and ran it across John's cheek, making the makeup smear across his face. 

John stared at him blankly for a second. "... Excuse me." He got up and left. 

"Okay, now I know that was fake. Am I going crazy?"

Lafayette chuckled and shook their head. "I couldn't help myself. I shaved for dress rehearsals and I wanted to see if I could trick you. I told John and I guess he wanted to join in."

"Oops."

"It's fine. It was probably just paint." 

Thomas nodded. "Alright." He got up and went to find John, finding him scrubbing the makeup off of his face in the bathroom. "Hey, sorry about that."

"You're fine. I feel like Lafayette was only going to fool him for so long, anyways. What did you need?"

"I just wanted to give you something. I was outside and the freshman are selling tickets for their show and giving away brownies." 

"Ooh!" 

Thomas nodded and gave him a brownie wrapped in a napkin. 

"Thank you." He smiled widely and put it in his hoodie pocket for later. 

Thomas smiled as he watched him. He loved seeing him light up over sweets like a kid. He leaned down and pecked his lips. "No problem." He left the bathroom and went back to the cafeteria with John following. He went back to his usual table and John went back to his friends, eating his brownie. Once lunch was over, they all went to their classes and finished their days out. John waited for Alexander outside of his classroom and surprised him with a kiss, pushing him against the wall and kissing him passionately.

"It's been way too long since I've done that, hasn't it?"

Alexander just nodded, his face bright red.

John smiled and pecked his lips, letting him go.

"Why don't I get kissed like that?" Thomas asked teasingly as he walked passed them.

John chuckled and rolled his eyes, then walked outside with Alexander and took him back to his apartment. "How would you feel if I kissed Thomas like that?.. I don't know if you want that to stay our thing or you're okay with it."

"I'm okay with that."

"Are you sure?.."

Alexander nodded. "Yeah." He kissed him and sat with him on the couch. 

John smiled and leaned against him, kissing him again. "You're doing great with this.. I'm proud of you."

He smiled. "Does it make it better when I tell you that I've been eating and taking my medicine without question?"

"So much better." He kissed him more. "I'm so proud of you, Alexander. You're taking such good care of yourself."

"I love you so much.."

"I love you too." He smiled and kissed him again. 

Alexander wrapped his arms around him and leaned his forehead against his. "You're the best. You know that, right?"

"I'm dating you. I'll gladly be the best for you." 

He pecked his lips. "You already are." 

John picked him up and carried him to his room, laying down with him and cuddling him.

Alexander hesitated before asking. "Do you think we can.. you know...?"

"Yeah."

He smiled and pulled John into a kiss, feeling a lot more confident about what he was doing than he had been just a week ago. He knew some of what he and John liked and he knew what he was doing. It still was awkward, but he was trying to embrace that. Him and John were awkward, but they loved each other all the same and that was all that mattered. 

Both boys fell asleep after and went through the week feeling closer than they had been, even closer than they felt after the first time. Alexander was learning to trust John and, after that, it was getting harder and harder for him to believe that John didn't love him. It didn't stop bothering him to see him with Thomas, but it was getting easier. It was a matter of time before he felt okay with it. 

That Friday evening, they walked Thomas to drama at John's request, wanting to wish everyone luck before the show. John left the two alone while he went and talked to Lafayette. 

"Good luck. Are you going to be okay? I know it's a boy day today."

"I"m going to be fine. Just because I'm a boy, that doesn't mean I don't like wearing skirts. And I've had so many boy days playing Veronica, I know I'll be okay."

"Great." He smiled and went to the first years. "Good luck to you guys, too."

"Thanks."

"We'll do our best."

"Yeah." Frances seemed a bit spaced out, looking at her phone. 

Martha nudged her side. "Frankie, John said good luck."

"I heard him." She smiled at them, then walked to the side. Lauren said they were going to text her what day they could come and Frances had been waiting for the text since she got out of class. It was hard for her to explain what it was that made her so eager to see the message. At least out loud. She hated to admit it, but she had a crush... Was it love at first sight? Not quite. Frances definitely didn't think she'd fallen in love that quickly, but she was definitely crushing hard. Ah! There it was!

[Hey, Frances, I can make it today! Good luck! :)]

Yeah, she definitely had a crush. She waited a minute before responding. She didn't want to make it obvious that she'd been waiting all that time. [Thanks! :)] ... Was that too simple? What if they thought she really didn't care? But she didn't want it to seem like she cared too much. But she at least wanted them to know she liked them. As a friend!

"I think Frances has a crush," Theodosia concluded as she and Martha watched their friend having a breakdown over her phone. 

"That explains everything." 

Theodosia nodded. Frances had been especially jittery all that week and especially nervous about her performance when she'd been doing just fine and was even getting help from the star himself. It wasn't like Frances, but she denied anything and everything. Either she had a crush or... No, she just had a crush. It was nice to see her like that, though. Neither girl remembered the last time their friend actually liked anyone, of course not counting Hercules Mulligan. 

Martha felt her phone buzz and blushed lightly at the message.

[George: I can't wait to see you in the musical this evening, my dove : )]

[Martii: Thanks, but can you chill out with the pet names?]

[Geroge: As you wish!]

She was still denying the fact that she'd liked him the entire time, but she was giving him a try. Maybe she could grow to actually like him because she totally didn't already. 

Theodosia smiled as she saw her friends. It was nice to see them happy, to not be the only one dating. And it was even nicer to be happy as well. She was the only one that wasn't in denial of her feelings, after all. Aaron treated her like a princess and she didn't need a text to know that he was coming, that he cared about her.

But, of course, like the perfect gentleman he was, he sent one anyways. [I can't wait to see you three tonight. : ) I'll make sure to get there early so I can get a front row seat.]

How he always managed to make her heart melt, she'd never know. [Thank you! I can't wait!]

Lafayette watched them and sighed. Hercules didn't get much of a chance to see him after school.. He had to rush home for a last minute appointment, so he wouldn't see him until after the performance. But it was okay. He knew he cared, of course he did.

John walked out of the auditorium and back to where Alexander and Thomas had been waiting before grabbing Thomas by the collar and pulling him down into a kiss, catching him by surprise. 

His eyes were wide for a second, but it didn't take much for him to melt into the kiss. When John pulled away, he caught his breath and stood up straight. "How can I focus on anything after a kiss like that?"

John chuckled. "Good luck. We'll see you then." He kissed his cheek, then took Alexander's hand and left. 

They went to get something to eat since the show wouldn't start for a while to give parents time to get there after work and giving students a chance to go home and get some food before eating. Eacker brought in food for the entire cast and crew for their opening night, a homemade meal that he and his family had made for them all. Their daughter even joined them as they brought it in. 

Frances felt her face go bright red. "Lauren..."

"Surprise." They smiled a bit. "I don't really like people knowing who my dad is because he's a teacher, but this is a big night for him. I couldn't just stay home."

She smiled back. "Your dad is a great teacher."

"I know." They went with Frances and got a plate of food before finding some place to sit in the theater room, since no eating was allowed on stage. They told jokes and picked on each other and, well, just talked and talked for at least the next hour. 

Frances smiled the entire time. How weird would it be dating a teacher's kid, though? She supposed that the only way to know would be to find out for herself. "Do you want to go out with me this weekend? Our Sunday show isn't until 3 that afternoon.."

Laurens smiled. "Going out with a weirdo like you? I wouldn't miss it for the world. When and where?"

"Maybe we can just hang out at the park or something. Is that alright?"

"Of course it is. I'll meet you there at, say, 11?"

"That sounds perfect. I'll bring food."

"We can bring our own food, if that's okay."

She nodded and kept eating with them, her face bright red. Her first date! And it made her more nervous to see that Lauren didn't look nervous at all. 

But looks were deceiving. Frances was a really pretty girl and the idea of going on a date with her made Lauren more nervous than she'd admit. But also excited. This was going to be fun, they knew that much. 

Eventually, they had to leave and go wait with their mom for the show to start outside in the auditorium. 

While they did that, the stage crew got everything set up and the cast got into their costumes, doing whatever vocal warm ups they needed before the show started. 

Lafayette let his curiosity get the best of him once he heard people coming in and the auditorium slowly getting more and more full. He stood by the curtains and took the tiniest peek outside, seeing that the entire place was packed. It brought a rush of excitement and nerves over him and he took a deep breath before heading back to the others, waiting for the show to begin. There were only about five minutes until curtain call. He was so excited! He smiled and took a deep breath, a pair of hands covering his eyes. He put his hands over them and smiled. He'd recognize them anywhere.

"Hey there, Veronica."

Lafayette whipped around and practically threw himself into Hercules's arms, effectively throwing him off balance for a second. "I thought you were busy!" He kissed him over and over again.

"I'd never be too busy for you, Laf." He stopped him and kissed him lovingly. "You're going to be amazing out there. I know it." He pecked his lips and gave him a bouquet of red roses. 

"Aw, Herc.. They're beautiful.."

"Of course. They reminded me of you." 

Lafayette smiled. "Even now?" he teased. 

"Even now." Even in his flower print dress, denim jacket, scarf, old shoes, and glasses. The costume crew felt that the costume, on Lafayette, was incomplete without the glasses. 

"Thank you.. You should get to your seat. We're starting soon."

"Alright. Good luck out there. Not that you'll need it." 

Lafayette smiled and watched as Hercules left, putting his flowers where they'd be safe. 

"Curtains in two minutes!" 

He ran back to the stage and got in place, listening as the usual announcements about loud children and cellphones. As the curtains raised up, he moved and sat on the edge of the stage, the show starting. "September 1st, 1989."

The show went off without a hitch, everyone working together to make a great first show. The chemistry onstage was undeniable between the Heathers, the audience being more hurt by Heather McNamara's attempted suicide, but the true bond was clearly between Veronica and JD, from the romantic bond to their fighting near the end. Dead Girl Walking seemed to be especially well done, the audience wolf whistling and having a good time watching them all. 

John was on the edge of his seat, loving the production. 

Alexander was a bit more hesitant, especially watching his brother having to grind on Thomas Jefferson... But it was a great musical. 

Hercules felt a bit irked by the scene, but he loved watching Lafayette on stage, in his element otherwise. 

Of course, Hugh and Sarah were there, as well as George and Martha, cheering on their boys as they performed.

Aaron loved watching Theodosia, though she wasn't the only one he was there cheering on. Everyone did great. 

Once the show was over, everyone came back onstage and took a bow, receiving roars of applause from the audience. The entire cast smiled widely, proud of their work and ready to do it again the next afternoon. 

After the show, a few friends headed backstage to see the cast, Eacker making sure that it wasn't too crowded and keeping an eye on the people that were back there. 

"There's my beautiful Veronica." Hercules picked up Lafayette and spun him around, kissing his cheek. "You were amazing out there, baby." 

"Thank you." Lafayette hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "I have to change into y clothes, then we can go." He smiled and went to the bathroom and changed out of his costume, a few people complimenting his performance as they saw him. When he came back out, he put his costume back and left with Hercules, bringing along the roses, of course. 

"Hey, there's my star." John smiled and hugged Thomas, Alexander waiting outside. "You were great out there!"

"Thanks, sunshine. I'm glad that you loved it. And, just for the record, the only reason I pulled off Dead Girl Walking so well was because I imagined it was you climbing through my window in the middle of the night," he said quietly. 

John blushed. "You wish." 

"Sometimes." 

He chuckled. "I'm going to head home with Alexander, okay? I'll see you tomorrow at your next show." He leaned in and kissed him for a few seconds. 

"Alright. I'll see you then." He kissed his forehead, then let him leave. 

John grabbed Alexander's hand and walked home with him, immediately going to rest and cuddle with him. 

Aaron and George seemed to have a similar idea to Hercules, both bringing their respective Heathers a bouquet of roses, though Aaron's were pink and George's were a mixture of pink and red. 

"They're beautiful, Aaron.." Theodosia said, blushing. 

"I was hoping you'd like them. You did wonderfully out there today." He kissed her cheek. 

"Thank you. I hope my parents like it.." They were busy working that night, but they planned on making it to both weekend shows. 

"Of course they will. You're extremely talented."

She smiled. 

"Are you ready to go?"

"Actually, I was going to wait until Marti and Frankie leave too."

"I understand. I'll wait at the car for now. I'll be there when you're ready." He kissed her cheek again and left. 

"These are really nice. Thanks, George."

"Of course. You were a spectacle out there. I can't wait to see the show again tomorrow."

"You're coming again tomorrow?"

He nodded. "I'll be busy on Sunday, though."

She smiled. "Alright.. I'll see you then." 

"Can I kiss your cheek?"

"Yeah.."

He leaned down and did just that. "I'll see you tomorrow." 

She blushed madly and watched him leave.

Frances smiled, especially as Lauren came over. "Hi. What did you think of the performance?"

"I'm thinking it's no wonder you three were cast as the Heathers. You guys did amazing out there!"

"Thanks.. It's what we do." She shot awkward finger guns, making Lauren chuckle. 

"I hope it's this great tomorrow and Sunday."

"I'll have inspiration after our awesome date on Sunday." 

Lauren nodded. "I'll see you then. I'm going to go wait with my mom in the car. You guys really were great."

"Thanks." She waved and watched as Lauren walked off. Just a week before, she was ready to give up on the idea of being the single. Now, life took away those lemons and it gave her Lauren. They weren't lemonade, but, to Frances, they were cooler. 


	70. Chapter 70

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (TW: Child abuse)

John laid with Alexander and watched movies, taking a break from Disney and having a Marvel marathon with him.

"This is nice.." John hummed, pulling Alexander in closer and kissing his cheek.

"I could lay here all day with you," he responded as he grabbed some popcorn. "And the Avengers."

"Disney movies aren't good enough for you?" John teased.

"They are, but why would I want to watch those when I have my prince right here?"

John smiled. "I'm not your hero, then?"

"You are, but you don't get into nearly as many fights as these heroes."

"I'll give you that." John nodded and continued watching the movies with him. He shifted so Alexander was sitting in his lap and he was lounging against the couch, sighing contently.

"Thanks." He leaned against John's chest and shut his eyes, relaxing into him.

"You're missing the movie."

"I don't care, as long as I have you to sleep on."

John smiled and kissed his cheek. "Are you ready to go to sleep?"

"No, you finish the movie."

John did just that, noticing when Alexander fell asleep half an hour later. He turned down the volume and shifted so that Alexander could lay more comfortably as he watched the rest of the movie. Once it ended, he picked Alexander up carefully and carried him to bed, laying down with him and falling asleep.

In the morning, Hercules woke up and smiled, kissing his sleeping datemate's cheek and slowly getting up and getting dressed. Once he was done, he tucked the blankets around Lafayette, making sure he stayed warm, and went downstairs to the kitchen, making breakfast for everyone.

While he was down there, Sarah came to help him, holding Rosie close. Ever since the pair were introduced, Rosie had became almost as attached to her as she was to her parents. "Do you need help, Herky?"

"No, I've got it. Thanks, Ma. I even got out some food for Rosie." He pointed at the full food and water bowl that were in the corner of the room.

"You are such a dear." She carefully put down Rosie and let her go eat, then stood up, rubbing her belly.

Hercules began piling pancakes onto a plate and watched as they disappeared at Sarah's hands almost as fast as he was making them. "You know there's three other people we have to feed, right?"

"Oh, hush. I'm eating for two." She ate another two pancakes, totaling seven, before going off somewhere else.

Hercules continued cooking and smiled as Lafayette came downstairs in his rumpled clothes. "Hey, baby. Our little girl's already down here, eating." He gave Lafayette a plate of pancakes and was rewarded with a kiss.

"Thank you."

"Anything for my baby." He smiled and kept cooking, letting Lafayette sit down and eat, Rosie climbing into his lap and resting. "So, what are your pronouns today?"

Lafayette shrugged a bit. "I'm not sure. I'm sort of in between today. I suppose they/them or he/him is alright today."

"Got it."

Lafayette smiled and kept eating, prepared to just rest until it was time to go to drama. He'd been essentially exhausted for most of the week, though hadn't been too tired to spend a few hours awake with Herc. Then again, the fact that he had another show was making him almost regret it. At least the last hour or so.

Hercules sat beside him once he was done cooking and held his hand. "Tired?.. Sorry if I kept you up too late."

"No, it's alright. I liked it." He kissed his cheek. "I'm just a bit sleepy. I might take a nap before I go."

"Alright. You do whatever you need." He kissed his hand, then let it go and ate.

Sarah came back in and smiled at the two. "Oh, Taffy, you were great last night. I wish we could see you again, but we're just so booked on the weekends."

"It's no problem. At least you got to see me yesterday."

"Of course. You were spectacular, my little boy's dating a future celebrity."

Hercules smiled, although a bit embarrassed. "I could've told you that, ma."

Lafayette smiled. "Thank you. Although, if I do end up being a celebrity, I'm going to need a warning so I can stock up on sleep. I've been exhausted all week."

Sarah nodded, then turned to Herc and lightly smacked his arm. "And what have you done to help? Have you been singing him to sleep or making sure he could rest whenever there was time?"

"Ma! I've been busy too! And I didn't even realize he's been so tired."

"Of course you haven't because you're not spoiling him like I taught you."

Lafayette smiled at the exchange. "Don't blame Hercules, he's definitely been spoiling me. I just haven't had the time to rest up properly and I've been staying up at night practicing. I'll be fine once we get through these next couple of shows."

"Well, you just do you best and the audience will fall in love."

"Thank you."

She smiled and left again.

"Geez, she may be pregnant, but she can sure hit just as hard," Hercules chuckled, rubbing his arm.

Lafayette kissed his cheek. "She's unstoppable, just like you."

He smiled. "Thanks, baby. And, I promise, I'll start spoiling you a lot more."

"You don't need to do that, you already treat me like I'm above royalty."

"That's because you are! To me, you are perfection."

He blushed. "Thank you.."

"Anytime."

Thomas woke up to a weight on his chest and tapping on his face.

"Tommy?.."

"Hey, Lucy. Sorry, I'll get your breakfast ready in a minute."

"No.. I had a bad dream.."

He sat up and hugged her. "Oh, I'm sorry.. What was it?.."

"Mean Mr Kevin told mommy that I was bad and they made me go away.. I couldn't see you or Johnny anymore.."

Thomas frowned. So, she had been listening in. "That's not going to happen, okay? I'm going to make sure of it. You're going to stay here with us."

She nodded and leaned against him, curling up in his lap.

He sighed quietly and ran his hand over her hair. Lucy may have had her bratty moments, but she was still just a kid. "What do you want to eat? Waffles?"

"Can I have chocolate chips in them?.."

"Of course you can."

"Okay.."

Thomas picked her up and carried her downstairs to the kitchen, passing up the center of his sister's problems as he drank his coffee.

"This is why she's such a little brat. You can't even let her walk downstairs herself, she's so spoiled."

Thomas ignored him and rubbed Lucy's back, setting her down on the counter before starting to cook.

"Make me something while you're at it."

He kept ignoring him. It was better than going off on him.

"Hey, I'm talking to you." He got up and moved to grab Thomas's shoulder.

"Leave him alone!" Lucy cried out before leaping off of the counter and jumping onto his arm.

"Lucy, no-" Thomas turned and began to go to her, but wasn't fast enough.

Kevin threw her off as hard as he could. "Stupid brat."

She was Thomas's main concern. He knelt down beside her and picked her up, backing away from her mom's stupid boyfriend and letting her cry into his shoulder.

"How dare you? She is 6!"

"Gotta teach them early to quit being such brats."

Thomas glared before going upstairs and putting Lucy in her room. "Are you okay?.."

She shook her head. "My head hurts..."

"I'm sorry.. I'll go talk to mommy, then I'll take you to the doctor. Just lay down for now."

She nodded and did just that, curling up on her bed.

Thomas locked her door, taking the key with him, and went to his mom's room. This was a long shot, but it might help. "Mom. I need to talk to you."

"What is it?"

"Kevin just threw Lucy. He was coming up to me from behind because I wouldn't make his breakfast and she tried to help and he threw her."

"Well, why didn't you just make breakfast? You need to stop being so difficult with him, Thomas. He's been a lot of good to me."

"And a lot of bad for us! Don't you care about your own children?"

She sighed. "Of course I do. Which is why I think he's right. I think I should send Lucy to a reform school."

Thomas felt his heart drop. "You can't do that. She's only six! She only acts like she did because it's what she learns watching everyone else. I promise she can be better, please."

"Well, he doesn't like having her around and it could be good for her. And, honestly Thomas, you're 18. When are you going to grow up?"

Thomas balled his fists. "I have grown up. And I'm going to show you. I want custody of Lucy."

"You're joking. You're still in high school. You can't handle raising a kid and getting an education."

"I can and I will just fine."

"You don't know the first thing about raising a kid. And where do you think you'll go?"

"I'll find a place. There's an apartment building not too far from the school. I have friends I can stay with."

She looked up at him and sighed. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

"I've never been more serious about anything else."

"Alright.. I'll give you my consent. And I'll give you money to help support yourself. I guess it'll be quieter around here that way, too."

Thomas sighed in relief. "Thank you."

She nodded and got up, heading downstairs.

Thomas went back to Lucy and checked on her, scooping her up and taking her to an emergency room. Thankfully, there wasn't much wrong with her, her head just hurt.

"How did you say this happened again?"

"Just a tumble down the stairs. She left her toys and tripped." He didn’t want to lie about it, he wanted that bastard to deal with the consequences, but he didn’t want to risk losing his mom’s support. And, worse, he didn’t want to risk losing Lucy.

"Alright. Well, you're okay to go." He gave Lucy a lollipop and she graciously accepted, walking out with Thomas and going to the car.

"Lucy, why don't we go visit Johnny?"

She nodded, always wanting to see her princely friend.

He drove over to John's house and waited at the gate, buzzing in to get John's attention. After a few minutes, he gave up and called John.

"Hey, Thomas. What's up?"

"Are you home?"

"Yeah, I was just painting. Alex already went home earlier. Why?"

That explained it. "Can you let me and Lucy in?.. I have to talk to you."

"Yeah, I'll be there in a sec." He went over to the living room and buzzed them in, waiting for Thomas to get to the door. When he did, John opened the door for them. "Hey, guys."

Lucy held her arms up, lacking her usual pep.

John picked her up all the same, kissing her cheek and letting her poke at the paint spots all over him. "What's up?"

"I'd actually prefer to talk to you about this alone.."

"Alright." He put Lucy down on the couch. "Can you wait here for a minute? I'll be right back."

"Okay.."

He kissed her cheek and walked with Thomas to his bedroom, shutting the door behind them. "What's up with her?.."

"I'll get to that.. I just.. I need your help right now. I'm getting custody of Lucy and getting her out of the house. My mom isn't leaving that loser anytime soon and I can't stand keeping her in the house any longer. I need your help getting things together. Finding a place to stay, namely.."

John nodded. "Of course. I think there's an apartment open here. If not, I can move my stuff around and make some room for you guys, no problem."

Thomas sighed and pulled John into a hug. "You're a lifesaver.."

"Anytime. What happened?.."

"He was coming at me because I didn't want to make his breakfast and I was just going to ignore him, but Lucy tried to help me and grabbed his arm and.. he threw her.."

John gasped quietly. "That's awful.. I'm so glad she's okay.."

"Me too.."

"You guys can stay here as long as you need. I should have an air mattress from when I first moved in here. I'll let her take the bed."

"You're a saint.. I'll go back with her and get our stuff."

John nodded and let him go. "I'm here for you.."

"I know." He kissed his forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

John walked him to the door and watched him leave before going back and moving things around.

Thomas drove back to his house and parked outside with Lucy. "I need to talk to you, Luce.."

"Am I in trouble?.."

"No, of course you're not." He got out of the car and moved to sit beside her in the backseat. "You're a great kid, okay?"

She nodded, taking her older brother's word for it.

"Good. You and I are going to have to go away from the house. We're going to live somewhere else because I'm not going to let that.. That jerk hurt you again, okay?"

"Okay.."

He kissed her forehead. "We're going to stay with Johnny for a little bit and we might stay there at the same building."

"Am I going to have a tiny room? I don't want to leave my toys.. They'll be lonely."

He smiled a bit. "It's going to be smaller, but we're going to make sure you can bring as much as you can. For now, though, we're just getting some clothes and things we need. We can come back for everything else when we find somewhere we can stay longer, I promise."

"Okay.."

He kissed her cheek. "Good girl. Let's go." He took her inside and let her get her things together, telling her her limits before going to her mother's room. She agreed to let them keep most of their things in their rooms for the time. He thanked her before going back to Lucy and helping her pick what to bring, then doing the same for his own stuff. He took a deep breath and held it for a minute. He could do this. He knew he could. For Lucy.

He took a deep breath out and got Lucy, then left, going back to John's apartment.

When they got there, he'd moved around his things. He cleaned up his art supplies and put most of them up high in his bedroom and cleaned up in his other bedroom, putting away clay and old cans where they wouldn't be in the way of the inflatable mattress that he'd set up.

"I can't thank you enough. I'm going to pay you back for this, I promise."

"No need. Seriously, I just want to help. I know how hard this can be."

Thomas hugged him again and kissed his forehead before taking Lucy to John's room and helping her get settled in, using the lower drawers that John had emptied out for her. He kept his own things in his bag and checked the time. It was still only 11. Good. He was supposed to be at the school at four for their show at five. He took a break on the couch, only to be interrupted by Lucy.

"I'm hungry.."

That was right, he never got a chance to feed her.

"I'll make her something. You take a break." John kissed his cheek and took Lucy into the kitchen, making food for everyone.

While he did that, Thomas looked online for everything he'd need to get legal custody of Lucy. He could do this. There was nobody more fit to take care of her than himself, he knew it. He got to work, only taking a break as John brought out a plate for him.

"Eat. Put the laptop down for a minute."

Thomas nodded and did just that, eating with John and Lucy. He smiled to himself. They were like a little family. He'd love that in the future, a family with John. He wasn't sure if Alexander would be in that future, but, for now, he was in the fantasy. The three of them, raising a kid together. There was a lot of time before that would ever become a possibility, but the idea was still nice. It helped to get his mind off of things for a bit. But reality came back and, after that, it didn't seem as bad.

After all, he wasn't alone in this. His mom was going to support him financially and John emotionally. He knew how to take care of Lucy. Things were going to be okay. Things were going to be okay.

After eating, Thomas got back to working online with a much better attitude about things. He was able to find all of the forms he needed, he just needed to print them out and he could do that in time. He finished getting settled with John in the other room and, by that time, it was only a little bit past one.

"Take a nap. I'll watch Lucy."

"No, I'm alright."

John shook his head. "You've had a long day.. You should go rest. And you have a show later."

"No, I'll just sleep when I get home. I'll be alright, I promise."

He sighed. "Well, at least get some rest. Come lay with me and Lucy, we're going to watch Lilo and Stitch."

"Alright.." He smiled and moved to sit with them on the couch, watching the movie with them. Lucy sat in her brother's lap while John leaned against his side, his feet tucked under him with Thomas's arm around his shoulder.

By the time it was over, Thomas had started getting up and went to the bathroom, taking a quick shower and getting dressed before heading out, giving John a quick kiss and kissing Lucy's cheek.

About half an hour later, John took Lucy and left her with Maria so he could go watch Thomas with Alexander.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help out a broke college student, you can ask for commissions at slashgashotaku@gmail.com. I also do free requests.


	71. Chapter 71

"Hey, John." Alexander smiled as he saw him. "Get a lot of painting done?"

"Yeah, actually." He'd woken up early that morning and gotten quite a bit done in the early hours of the day. 

"That's good." He sat with him in the front row and spent the time waiting with him. 

Thomas warmed up with the rest of the group in the back, his voice a bit off. 

"What's the matter? Your voice never waivers," Lafayette pointed out. 

"Long day.. I don't really want to talk about it. I'll be alright, I just need a bit of warming up."

"If you say so.."

He nodded and kept warming his voice up, getting back into the swing of things a few minutes before curtain call. Good. He got into his place waiting in the back and listened as Lafayette began the show. 

It was another successful show, another more than pleased audience, and Thomas felt more relaxed than he had that entire day, even without smoking. He smiled and took a bow with everyone else before going to the back and changing, going home with John.

Alexander walked John to Thomas's car, kissing his cheek as they left. So much for being too tired to pay attention to John...

John pecked Alexander's lips before getting in the car and waving as Thomas drove off. "Do you want to tell Alexander about this?.."

"No." he said firmly before sighing. "Sorry.. He's just not somebody I want knowing about this. Not until I get back on my feet. Do you think you could make up something for now?.."

"No problem." He held his hand. 

Thomas smiled and squeezed his hand. "Where's Lucy? With your friend Maria?"

"Yeah. She likes her daughter, Susan. They get alone well."

"That's good." He drove them back to the apartment. "Do you.. Do you think she could watch her for the night?.. I just want some time with you.."

"I already asked when I dropped her off. She said it's no problem. You need a break after today.."

"Thanks, sunshine.." He smiled. When he got to the apartment, John opened the gate and got back in the car, then got out to go inside with Thomas. They headed to their room and Thomas practically collapsed onto the inflatable mattress. 

John sat beside him and rubbed his back. "You're doing great. I know what you're going through is stressful and I'm here to help you through it." 

Thomas reached back and pulled John down to lay with him. "I'm alright with you here to help me."

He smiled and pecked his lips. "I'm just doing my best.."

"And your best is so much more than enough." 

John sat up. "Can you get on your stomach? Alexander gave me a back massage once and I want to try and give you one, too."

Thomas nodded and rolled onto his back. "Shirt on or off?"

"Off."

He did just that and sighed as he felt the heels of John's palms digging into his muscles, immediately relaxing into his touch. "You're a miracle. You know that, don't you?"

"Whatever you say," John chuckled, running his hands over Thomas's back. "You deserve this. You've had a long day."

"You can say that again.."

John nodded to himself and massaged a knot out of his shoulder. "Now, it's just time to relax. Alright?"

He nodded and let his eyes fall shut, letting John work his magic. He was no professional, but he wasn't bad at it, either. 

John smiled and kept working at it until he saw noticed that Thomas's breathing had steadied. He slowly eased up before pulling the blanket over him, beginning to get up when Thomas grabbed his wrist. 

"I'm not asleep. I'm just relaxed. Come lay with me."

John got down and laid beside him. "I hope I helped.."

"You really did. I honestly feel a lot better after that, thank you." He kissed his forehead. 

"Good." He smiled and pecked his lips. "Are you going to be alright with everything?.."

"My mom's still supporting me financially. I just need to find us a place to stay. I can take care of Lucy just fine." He practically had been already for a while. "You don't need to worry about me. Just be here for me, okay?"

"Of course. I'm your boyfriend. I love you."

Thomas smiled. "I love you too. And I love hearing you say that.."

"Then I'll say it again. I love you, Thomas Jefferson."

"I could listen to that all day.."

"I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you."

He chuckled and leaned down, kissing John softly and sighing contently against his lips. It really had been a stressful day and it felt like it lasted a week, but unwinding with John made everything better. John made everything better. He wrapped his arm around him and pulled him closer, feeling his warm hands rest against his chest and move over his shoulders before resting around the back of his neck. He moved his own hands under John's shirt and held his hips, carefully pulling away from the kiss. "How does this work? This whole color system thing?"

"You just ask for my color."

Thomas nodded. "Color?.."

"Green." John smiled. 

"Good.. Tell me the second it changes." He kissed him and held him closer, moving his hands up his back until John had to pull away again for the shirt to come off. "Still green?"

"Still green." He took the shirt from Thomas and tossed it away, letting him shift to lean over him. 

"We don't have to do anything.. We can just do this and stop when you want."

"I know. I'm okay for now." He wrapped his arm around Thomas's neck and pulled him back down, resting his forehead against his. 

"I'm just making sure.." Thomas muttered, taking in every detail of John's body. His skin was far from smooth, he had scars and stretch marks especially around his sides, but it didn't do a thing to mask how beautiful John was. He remembered the first time he saw him shirtless, how he gawked and stared to the point where John became bright red and flustered. 

"What are you thinking?.."

"I'm remembering the first time I saw you like this.. How much of a dork I was."

"Oh, please. I was worse.." Poor John had gotten so embarrassed after seeing Thomas shirtless that he shut his eyes and tried to run out of the room, only for him to run right into the door frame. 

Thomas smiled at the memory. "Yeah.. But things have changed since then. You're still as beautiful as ever, though.." He slowly kissed down his stomach, stopping at the waistband of his pants. He looked up at John and tugged at them. "Color?"

"Green," John replied without a doubt. 

Their first time was different from John's with Alexander. Thomas took his time with things, partly to enjoy every last moment and partly to make sure John was enjoying every last moment. Of course, John still loved the intimacy between himself and Alexander. He enjoyed helping him through it and knowing that Alexander was at almost the same level of experience as himself. But.. he couldn't complain about how experienced Thomas was in that field. He knew exactly what he was doing and where to kiss and touch John to elicit the perfect reactions. It was amazing for both of them, though it was far from perfect, especially on the air mattress. There was also, of course, the occasional yellow that John brought up. Thomas made sure to wait until John was certain he was okay before continuing and it was far from a bad thing, no matter how much time it would eat up. John felt secure and Thomas felt better about potentially hurting or scaring John, the last thing he wanted to do. After the act, Thomas kissed John's forehead. 

"I'll be right back." He got up and left the room for a minute, getting rid of the used condom and coming back as fast as he could with a warm washcloth. He cleaned John off, he and Alexander normally used tissues, and kissed over his skin gently. "Do you need anything?"

John shook his head. "I just want to cuddle." 

"Alright." He put John in a clean pair of boxers and a clean shirt, then put up his clothes for him before laying down with him and cuddling with him. "I'm so glad you could trust me enough for this.. I loved it."

"Me too.." John smiled and rested his head against Thomas's chest, sighing contently as he put his hand on his back. 

"Good.. That was my main goal." He kissed the top of his head and pulled the blanket up over them, covering John up to his neck. "Let's get some sleep, okay?.."

John nodded and fell asleep in seconds, Thomas close behind him. 

In the morning, John woke up first and got up, going to the kitchen with a slight limp and making breakfast before getting dressed. As he pulled his shirt on, he heard Thomas behind him. 

"Good morning.. How did you sleep?"

"I slept well." He smiled. "And I made breakfast."

"Thank you.."

"No problem.." John couldn't help but ask something he'd been wondering all morning. "Is... Is that how you were like with all of your one night stands?.." He'd been so caring the night before. 

Thomas furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. "Of course not. Most of them were gone as soon as I woke up and I never really cared about giving them after care since they probably didn't need it like you did. And, before you ask, nobody ever did that for me. I always topped, anyways."

That was actually John's next question. "I was just wondering." He smiled a bit, though he couldn't deny that it would've made him a bit insecure if that hadn't been Thomas's answer. He didn't need to be special, but it felt nice knowing that he was the only one who got that treatment. 

"Trust me, you're beyond special to me, sunshine." He sat up and got himself dressed before following John back to the kitchen and making some coffee. "Still don't drink coffee, do you?"

"Not really." John had never been a big coffee drinker, only really drinking it when he needed the caffeine boost that he'd never grown out of. 

"Alright." Thomas made himself a cup and went out front as he waited for it to boil, asking for John to watch it for him. He hadn't smoked in a few days, but he'd been craving it like crazy. He wasn't quite addicted, it was more of an occasional thing, but he did smoke a lot for the few days before just cutting off. It was starting to bother him a bit. 

John sighed and stayed inside, watching the water for him. He made the coffee for him, letting him take his time, before going outside and getting him. "I made your coffee for you."

Thomas had been on his second cigarette by then, the first stomped out on the floor. "Thanks, sunshine." He went inside and brushed his teeth as well as he could before going and drinking his coffee. 

As he did, John went downstairs and got Lucy. "Did she behave herself?"

"She was great. I'll watch her whenever you need me to."

"Thanks, Maria." He smiled and carried Lucy back up to the apartment, taking her inside and to the kitchen, letting her eat breakfast with him and Thomas. It was a quiet morning, the silence only broken when Lucy left the table to get her things ready to take a bath. 

"I can go ask to see if there's another apartment while you're giving her a bath, if you want."

Thomas hesitated before nodding. "Yeah.."

"Is something wrong?"

"I don't know.. I just can't help but think about life after college and all that. I feel like I'd love living with you and I want to start now.. But I don't want to be a bother. I know you need room for your art stuff."

John kissed his cheek and held his hand. "I get it.. You don't need to feel bad about it. You'll be right in the same building and you know you and Lucy are welcome over at any time."

He smiled and kissed his hand. "Thanks, sunshine.."

"Of course." He smiled back. "I'll go do that. You go take care of Lucy." 

He nodded and got up, going and keeping an eye on Lucy as she took a bath. 

John left the apartment and went down to the main office, going to the manager of the building. "Hey, Monroe, I've got a friend who needs a place to stay. He's good on money and he has a little girl with him. Are there any free apartments?"

"Hmm... Let me check." He turned to his computer and checked for a few minutes. "Alright. I have a few apartments. The one right beside you is open. Two bedrooms like yours, same rent every month."

"That sounds good. I'll send him down to talk to you."

"I'll be right here." 

John smiled and went back up to his apartment. 

Thomas was still watching Lucy when he got back. 

"Hey, they found somewhere. Right beside me, so you won't be too far."

Thomas smiled. "That sounds perfect. I'll go down there in a bit. Can you watch Lucy for me?"

"Yeah, no problem." He took Thomas's spot and stayed with Lucy as Thomas went downstairs and talked to James Monroe, getting the apartment. He was even able to move in that day. He went back upstairs and smiled as he saw John helping Lucy get dressed. 

"How'd it go?"

"He said we can move in today, so I'm going to start on that. Thank you for everything. I don't know where I'd be without you." 

"I'm glad to help." John smiled back at him before turning back to Lucy, letting her leave when she was dressed and going out to help her and Thomas get their things. 

Thomas took everything over to their apartment and John helped them get unpacked while Thomas went back to his house for the rest of their stuff. It took a few trips, but he was able to get pretty much everything from their house and bring it to the apartment, John helping him get everything upstairs and into it. Lucy helped as best as she could too, pouting when Thomas and John had to take the heavier things themselves. 

Once everything was inside, they put it all where it belonged and made their beds, since the apartment was fully furnished. John actually had to request that the second bed got moved out a bit after he'd first moved in. It took a few hours, but they were eventually done, all plopping down on the couch afterwards. 

"Well, Lucy, this is our new home." 

She nodded and yawned, curling up against John's side. "Can I come see you whenever I want?.."

"Of course you can. Just make sure to ask Tommy first, okay?"

"Okay." She smiled and let her eyes fall shut, exhausted from the hard work of the day.

Thomas smiled and followed her example, letting himself take a power nap in the few hours that remained before he had to go out to drama. 

John carried them both to their beds and made them lunch in his own apartment before bringing it over. 

It was a couple of hours before they both got up and joined him on the couch, eating. It was peaceful and quiet, like a regular Sunday. It was nice. 

"Do you want to come grocery shopping with us later, sunshine?"

"Yeah, sure." 

"And.. If you want to bring Alexander, you can. I've been thinking about it and I was being stupid. He's not going to like if I just happen to show up whenever and he's going to ask questions. I want to tell him that I'm moving in over here."

"Are you sure?.." 

Thomas nodded. "Yeah."

"Alright. If you're sure." John smiled and kept eating. 

Just like the day before, when it was time for drama, Thomas left half an hour before John dropped Lucy off with Maria and met Alexander at the school. 

"After this, I'm going grocery shopping with Thomas. Do you want to come?"

He was a bit hesitant. Of course he wanted to spend time with John, but... "I don't want to be in the way.. Like I don't want it to seem like I can't even let you go grocery shopping alone with him."

"It's fine. We have to talk to you about something while we're there.."

"What is it?"

"We'll tell you later. It's nothing bad, I promise." He kissed his cheek and held his hand as they sat, waiting to see the musical again. 

"Okay.. I'll go with you guys."

John smiled. "Lucy's going to be with us, too. Maybe Susan, if she wants to come."

"Even better." Alexander adored little Susan and was more than glad that she seemed to like him as well. "It actually sounds kind of like fun.." If John really was serious about dating them both, it could've been a tiny glimpse into the future. 

John knew that as well and he adored the idea. Seeing what life would be like with both of his boyfriends... It sounded perfect. 

They both smiled as the show started, Lafayette once again making the perfect Veronica. If anything, the show was even better than it had been going, especially for the Heathers. Frances definitely seemed to have a new spark of energy after her lunch date with Lauren. It wasn't much, just sitting and talking in the park, playing on the playground like a couple of dorks, but Frances loved every minute of it. They even already scheduled a second date for that next Saturday, same time and same place. She was so excited she almost forgot a line. Almost.

After the show, John took Alexander's hand and walked him to Thomas's car, waiting for him to come over. 

When he did, he let the two into the car and got in himself before driving back to the apartments, deciding to explain to Alexander on the way there. 

"I have to tell you something.. I live in the apartment next to John now, with Lucy."

Naturally, Alexander's first thoughts were that this was an attempt to get close to John, to steal him from Alexander... But he pushed those thoughts out of his mind and just asked the obvious questions. "Why?.."

"Because my mom's boyfriend hates her and he wants to get rid of her, so I'm taking custody of her and I'm keeping her with me. I am not letting that asshole get her taken from me." He seemed to grip the steering wheel a bit tighter. 

"Oh.. I'm sorry.."

"I'm just doing what I have to do for her.. And it's not like I don't already take care of her most of the time and my mom's still going to give me money. We're just living somewhere else now. That doesn't mean you get any less time with John or that I get anymore. It's not about that."

Alexander nodded. "It's fine, you don't have to explain yourself. So, I guess that's why we're going grocery shopping?.."

"Yeah.. I figured you should know because Lucy really loves him and she'll definitely want to go visit all the time, so I don't want you thinking she has to be there while you and John are together. And I don't want you thinking I'm living there just to live with John. It's cheap and close to our school and Lucy's."

"No, I understand. I'm not against it or anything. It's not my place to be." 

Thomas smiled and got to the building, now able to open the gates himself. He did just that and waited in silence with Alexander as John got Lucy from Maria, Susan tagging along. 

John got her car seat and put it in Thomas's car for the time being, Alexander sitting on the right of both seats. The two girls were buckled in and they were off, going to the grocery store. 


	72. Chapter 72

When they got there, Thomas got a cart with two seats and let the girls sit in it, John and Alexander following him as he drove through the store. John helped him figure out what to get and even threw in a few snacks for Lucy, as if Thomas didn’t realize it.

While they did that, Alexander made conversation with Susan and she told him all about how the boys at daycare said that they wanted to be her friend because she was pretty.

“They said that their daddies said that they have to be friends with pretty girls so I can be their girlfriend later, but I don’t want a boyfriend.”

“And you don’t have to have one. If you say no to someone, you stand your ground.”

“What if I hurt their feelings?..”

Alexander smiled. She was so precious. “If they like having you as a friend, then their feelings will be okay because they’ll understand.”

“Okay.” She smiled.

Lucy reached for the cookies in the other side of the aisle, trying to signal for John to get them. He didn’t do it every time, he didn’t let her get candy bars when they passed them, but he decided he could help her out this one time. He grabbed a pack of cookies and slipped them into the cart.

“And who said we were getting cookies?” Thomas teased, knowing exactly who was behind it all.

“Oh, come on. What’s wrong with letting her get a treat?”

Thomas pretended to think. “Alright, but you know my fee.”

John nodded and stood on his toes, pressing his lips to Thomas’s. “There you go.”

Alexander smiled a bit as he watched the interaction and had an idea. He took the cookies back out of the cart and looked at John. “If you want them back, you’re going to have to kiss me too.”

John sighed and pretended to turn away, as if he was just going to get a new pack before turning back around and kissing Alexander adoringly, wiping the look of slight disappointment off of his face and turning it into a smile. “How was that?”

He simply smiled and put the pack back into the cart.

“Excuse you, but you three don’t have to be so public about this.”

They all turned and saw an angry looking woman pushing a cart in their direction.

“Yes, you three. It’s one thing to just be a couple of faggots, but for you to be three? And in front of those poor young girls. You are going to ruin them.”

John shrunk down a bit, more easily affected by the talk, even knowing how ridiculous it was.

Thomas put a hand on his back and glared at the lady. “We aren’t doing a thing to you. Is it really that hard for you to mind your own business?”

“How can I with all of this homosexuality that you’re shoving into it? I ought to have those children taken away. As weak as your morals seem to be, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were yours. Especially yours.” She pointed right at John and Alexander stepped between her and him, growling quietly.

“Just leave us alone. These girls are just fine and, not that it’s any of your business, but they are not our daughters. I feel bad for any that you might have.”

She crossed her arms. “It just so happens that my daughters only go to the finest Catholic school money can afford.”

“You know, statistically speaking, girls are more likely to be gay if they live growing up around only other girls, so good luck with that.”

She gasped. “How dare you imply that my daughters will end up anywhere near as bent up as you! They are lovely young women who wouldn’t be caught dead even speaking to the likes of you. And I suppose I should do the same before I become contaminated.” She raised her nose to the sky and walked passed them, glaring at John as she did. “You’re going to burn in hell.”

John looked down at his feet and stayed silent. God, he was such a wimp…

“Are you alright, sunshine?.. You know she’s not right about you.. You’re a great person.”

“Who has two boyfriends…”

Alexander frowned and held his hand. “Hey.. You’re not wrong for that. I know you can’t help who you fall in love with..”

John hugged them both tightly, the girls watching him, worried.

“Are you okay, Johnny?..” Lucy asked.

“I.. I’ll be fine… She just really hurt my feelings..”

Susan pouted and held her arms up, wanting John to carry her.

He did just that, lifting her from her seat and carrying her as Thomas continued walking, the other two following.

“You’re a good boy, Johnny.. She was a meanie… It’s not wrong that you like boys because they like you back and you’re never mean to people because they’re not like you.”

He smiled a bit and kissed her cheek. “Thank you..”

“You’re welcome.” She hugged him tightly, letting him put her back in her seat once she let go.

John felt a bit better, walking through the aisles. He stared right back down at his feet as they passed that woman again, but he wasn’t about to let her keep him from loving who he loved. Hell, his own father couldn’t keep him from loving who he loved, who was he to let that stranger do just that?.. he stood a bit straighter and kept following everyone else around, helping as they got the groceries onto the conveyor belt, then back into the cart once they were bagged. He helped as they loaded them all into the trunk of Thomas’s car and sat with him in the front again, visibly more relaxed than before.

Thomas decided against saying anything and just grabbed John’s hand, kissing his knuckles as he began driving. That was one of the beauties of their relationship. Thomas didn’t always know what to say around him, but sometimes, that wasn’t necessary. The two didn’t need words to communicate, their bond was enough. Just simple gestures and expressions spelled out everything that the two needed to know about each other. Thomas smiled at the thought as he drove, his happiness spreading to John in the form of a tiny smile. The ride was almost silent in the most peaceful way. If that was a peek at their future, even with the homophobic jerks, they were all ready to work for it.

Thomas parked at the building and they all got the groceries inside before dropping Lucy and Susan off with Maria, wanting some time alone. She seemed far from opposed, as much as John watched Susan when she needed it. So the three ordered pizza and watched a movie at John’s apartment, John laying across their laps with his head in Thomas’s and his legs over Alexander.

Sometime during the movie, Thomas shifted so his legs were crossed on the couch and John’s head was against his torso, his back in his lap now. He smiled at that and began playing with John’s hair, twisting little braids into it before undoing them and just running his hand over John’s scalp, feeling him relax under the touch.

Alexander moved to join them, his head against John’s side and his legs curled up against his chest. He smiled as John began playing with his hair as well, shutting his eyes and sighing into the touch.

It was more than peaceful, to say the least, and, of course, Thomas had to mess with that. He couldn’t help it, though it wasn’t like he’d meant to at first. He simply hopped up careful to not move John too much, and headed into the kitchen, coming back with three popsicles. “I believe we’ve earned a treat after today.” He gave both boys one before getting back in place and eating his.

John made the mistake of glancing up and found that Thomas had most of the treat down his throat, winking as he noticed John looking. He immediately looked back down and tried to focus on his own, eating it as slowly as he could without letting it drip.

After a minute, Thomas poked John’s arm to get his attention and gestured down at Alexander, who seemed to be unconsciously deep-throating the entire thing. “You’re going to be grateful for that one day.” He chuckled as John elbowed his sides.

Alexander looked up at them confused and blushed when he saw the flustered look on John’s face. “I need to talk to you,” he remembered all of a sudden.

“What about?”

“Just.. Alone.”

“Alright..” John got up and followed Alexander to his room, now that he’s gotten his things back in. “What’s up?”

Alexander hesitated. “You’re going to think I’m a perv…”

“Alex, I’m not going to think you’re a perv. Just tell me.”

“Okay.. Um…” He glanced at the doorway to make sure Thomas wasn’t there before continuing. “I feel.. funny when I watch you and Thomas kiss… But not, like, bad funny…”

The way that Alexander was gripping the bottom of his shirt and with the awkward way he was sitting, it didn’t take a genius to figure out what he meant. “Oh..”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you, I just-”

“Alexander, calm down.” John grabbed his hands. “I’m not mad at you or anything. Everyone has their things..”

“It’s not like it’s the same when it’s other guys, though. Like, I thought it would be at first, but when I think about you kissing anyone else, I feel bad.”

“But not when it’s Thomas..”

“Right..” Alexander nodded awkwardly. “I just… I thought you should know.. We don’t have to do anything about it.”

“Okay.. Well, I’m glad you trusted me enough to tell me.”

“Just.. Don’t tell Thomas.”

“I won’t.” He kissed his cheek. “Are you okay to come and watch the rest of the movie with us?”

He nodded.

“Let’s go, then.” He walked with him back to the living room and sat with Thomas, who seemed curious, but also like he knew there was no way he was finding out anything about their conversation. He almost seemed okay with that.

John cuddled Alexander against his chest and couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d told him. It didn’t disgust him at all, it was a pretty natural thing to be feeling. Actually, if anything, it was a good thing. John wouldn’t say it out loud until he and Alexander were able to sit down and have a serious talk, but maybe it was a starting point for his relationship with Thomas…

Even if the pair weren’t intimate with each other, just both of them with John while they were in the same room, being in that type of situation might be something that would make the two become that much less repulsed by the idea of being anywhere near each other. After all, look at what was happening then.

They were sitting with only John in between them like it was just another Sunday. It would help get Alexander to be more used to the idea that Thomas wasn’t going to leave anytime soon and it would show Thomas that Alexander wasn’t in the way of any part of their relationship. And, well, the benefit to John was fairly obvious. It was something that he'dd have to keep in mind for the future. Who knew? Maybe it wasn’t totally crazy.

Once the movie ended, they all agreed to call it a night. Thomas left and got Lucy from Maria before going home with her and Alexander stayed with John, the pair cuddling in his room. … What better time was there to bring it up than when it was still fresh?

“Hey, Alex, I have a crazy idea.. You remember what you said about how you felt seeing me and Thomas?..”

Alexander nodded a bit, not having much of an idea as to where this was going.

“Well… This is going to sound insane and it’s okay to say no, but… what if we had kind of a threesome?.. Like you and Thomas don’t have to touch or anything, you guys can both just do it with me, but, like, in the same room?..”

Alexander was surprised by the proposition. It honestly was something that he’d never imagined. “I mean… I don’t know.. I’ve never thought about it before and I don’t want Thomas making fun of that part of me..”

“I get it. I don’t think he would, though, but if you don’t want to, that’s okay.”

“Well… I’m not giving it a hard no, no pun intended. I just.. I need to think about it first.. How would that even work?..”

“Probably like how you’re thinking. Since you… is it okay if I say you get off to it?..”

Alexander nodded. “If I’m being honest, I have, but just once. I felt too freaked out by the idea to do it again..”

“Okay.. Since you get off on seeing us together, maybe he could go first and you could watch or I could.. help you somehow.. Then you and I could be together.”

Alexander thought about it. John was right, it was crazy, but it wasn’t too bad if a idea… “What if he doesn’t want to wear a condom? I don’t want to go after that.”

“He will.. We kind of did it last night…”

“Oh.. Um.. I’ll think about it, then.” It was weird, but it was a topic that was probably bound to come up sooner or later in that relationship.

John nodded. “Okay. Like I said, don’t feel pressured or anything. I just figured, this way you could get more used to him and he could get more used to you. I know it’s a bit opposite in most relationship, but..”

“But we’re not most relationships..”

“Right..”

“I’ll think about it. I’m not totally against it.”

“Okay. That’s fine. Take as much time as you need.” John smiled and kissed his nose. “I’m ready to go to sleep though. Are you?”

“Yeah, I’m ready to sleep.” Alexander smiled back at him. He cuddled up closer under John and sighed, both of them falling asleep.

In the morning, John woke up and made them breakfast, Alexander getting up soon after and going to get ready for the day. John took a shower after him, then they both sat and ate.

Alexander may have eaten a bit less than normal, but he was otherwise eating perfectly fine, even when John wasn’t around. It was crazy to see how much he’d changed in the past few weeks. He even took his medicine as he ate without a second thought.

John smiled as he watched him, proud of the progress his boyfriend had made in the past few weeks. He held his hand as they ate and waited for him to finish, then walked to school with him. When they got there, John and Alexander sat behind the school, just talking for a bit, mainly going from where they left off the night before. Of course, the second that Thomas came anywhere near them, they both went silent.

“What? Are you two talking about me behind my back?” he joked.

“No, just some private things.. Sorry..”

“No worries. I can go inside, then. I’ll let you be.”

John looked at Alexander, who shook his head.

“No, it’s fine. We can talk about it later or something. We should really talk about next week, if anything.”

“I know. Do you know anybody who’d be able to watch Lucy? I could ask her friends’ parents, but I figure it’s best to ask around first.”

“Well, George and Martha might be able to. We don’t really do anything special besides relax over Spring Break, so they probably won’t be busy. And she likes Lafayette, right?”

John nodded. “She likes him because he’s pretty and he does makeup.”

“Yeah. Laf is pretty good around kids. I’m more worried about his cat than anything else.”

“Don’t be,” John assured. “Like you said, Laf’s good with kids. He explained to her why she shouldn’t shake her around or pull her tail or anything a kid would do. She wouldn’t want it done to her, so she won’t do it to the cat.”

Thomas nodded. “That explains why her behavior’s been a bit better lately..”

“That’s good to hear.” John smiled.

“Yeah.. Do you think they’d do it for me, though?..”

Alexander shrugged a bit. That part, he wasn’t so sure on. “Maybe..”

“I think so. If not, there’s always Hugh and Sarah.”

Thomas seemed just as iffy about that. “I don’t know.. They have a lot of their work around the house.”

“I think they can handle her. And Sarah is pregnant, they’re going to have to start baby proofing the house.”

“Alright.. I’ll keep it in mind.”

John nodded a bit. “You know.. I think the problem with getting someone to watch her may be a bit more ion your end than on hers. Like, I know she’s been having some behavior issues, but she’s changed just like you have. You have to learn to trust her not to destroy everything. If you expect her to, she will.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You have a family of angels.”

“Because I made them that way. I know what I’m talking about, Thomas.”

“I’m not saying you don’t, I know you had a lot to deal with.. But Lucy might be a bit different..”

“Well, if you want my advice, don’t baby her so much all the time. Like go ahead and coddle her when it’s just you guys hanging around or something, but don’t treat her like that when you’re, say, leaving her somewhere. In my experience, treating her like she doesn’t know better will only make her think that it’s okay to act that way. You’re already expecting it of her, so why not, you know?”

Thomas nodded and thought it over. “Yeah, I see where you’re coming from. I’ve never thought of it that way before. Thanks, sunshine.”

“Of course.” John smiled.

Alexander grabbed his hand. “You really are going to make a great teacher someday. You’re so great with kids.”

“Thanks..” He kissed his cheek. “I just do what I know.”

“And you seem to know a lot.”

“I did raise four kids.” He smiled.

Alexander nodded and leaned against his shoulder. He loved seeing how great John was with kids. It made him that much more open to the idea of having a family with him in the future.

Thomas put an arm around John’s waist and pulled him a bit closer, careful not to come in contact with Alexander. Neither of them were at that level of comfort around each other.

Alexander even shifted away from his hand a bit, still sitting comfortably against John’s side.

If anyone were to just walk by, it would look like exactly what it was, two guys sharing one boyfriend. John, with his arm around both boys, was clearly more than happy to be with both of them, looking just as happy, if not happier, than when it was just him and one of them. He was in love with them both and he still wondered everyday how he was lucky enough to date even one of his two amazing boyfriends, much less both of them. He felt like the luckiest man alive, especially knowing how the two felt about each other.


	73. Chapter 73

The three sat there, content in the cool, late winter air until the first bell rang. Then, reluctantly, they all got up and went to class, Alexander holding one of John's hands and Thomas holding the other as they walked through the halls together. Most people didn't understand much about their relationship, they silently judged John as he walked, though were all far too afraid to ever say it out loud, but there was so much that they didn't know and understand. 

Alexander and Thomas were happy with the relationship, not minding the arrangement besides a bubble of jealousy here and there, mainly from Alexander. As long as John was happy, they were ready to tolerate each other.

So, it really wasn't long before Alexander and John decided to sit down with Thomas about their... idea. It was only Wednesday, actually, right after school that they decided they wanted to have that conversation. 

"So... What are we here for again?"

Alexander and John looked at each other awkwardly. They planned to talk with him about it, but neglected on the details of how exactly that was going to go. So, to save Alexander the embarrassment, John decided to speak for him. 

"Well.. You know how we're all dating? Kind of.. How you're both dating me?"

"Yeah.." Thomas was definitely more confused than when he'd walked in. Where exactly was this going? 

"I kind of had the idea of us having a threesome... But like, with those same principles. You and Alexander don't have to do anything with each other, just with me..."

Thomas took a second to process the idea before nodding. If he was being honest, the thought had come to his head once or twice, but he never imagined it'd become a reality. And, now, here was John and Alexander.. Wait.. "Is he actually okay with this idea?"

Alexander nodded. "I mean, I doubt John would leave me just because I'm not as... experienced in that area. And it's not like it's the craziest idea. We are both dating him, like he said."

"I mean.. We can talk about it. I think I'd be okay going through with this. It wouldn't be the first time.." But it would be his first time with two guys rather than a guy and a girl, though that wasn't an important detail. He and Alexander both knew what they were doing when it came to it, at least he hoped Alexander did. 

"Should we talk about it now or wait for another time?.. It's not like we have to set a date soon and have to do it at all, really," John reminded them. He himself was far from opposed to the idea, but he wasn't sure if the other two were so open minded to the thought. 

"We can. Lucy's at a sleepover."

"And I have nothing better to do. I was just going to hang out with you tonight."

"Okay.. So, where do we start?.."

It took a few minutes of getting through awkward silences and random conversation, but the three actually managed to discuss the thought of having a threesome. And, the more they discussed it, the less insane of an idea it seemed. After all, they all consented to the idea and Thomas and Alexander were willing to try it if John wanted to. It may have been Alexander's own fantasies that even made the topic a possibility, but John seemed to be the one most interested in the idea, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. 

And so it was settled. That Friday, why not? Lucy would be staying with George and Martha, who were actually more than happy to watch her for the week, and they were already going to stay at John's apartment to be able to leave as early as possible for South Carolina and it was a familiar spot for them all. Still, all of the discussions in the world could not have prepared them for the actual moment. They knew how they planned to do things, with Thomas having his time with John first, but they didn't really expect to actually like the act as much as they did. All of them. 

Alexander loved seeing John in pure bliss as he was, both under Thomas's touch and his own. It boosted his confidence to see that John didn't have a clear preference for either guy in the bedroom, despite how experienced Thomas was. 

Thomas loved seeing that Alexander couldn't distract John from him, that his time with him was his time and not Alexander's. It helped reassure in his mind that John actually cared for him, not that it had been as much of an issue. 

And, of course, John mainly enjoyed the experience and he loved how safe he felt with the two, even at his most vulnerable. 

All in all, it was clear that it was not going to be the last time that it happened, though they'd still have their own intimate moments with each other. John was right, it did help their relationship and all three enjoyed the experience, not just him. There were awkward moments, of course, and the rare yellow where everything stopped and John was cared for until he was ready to continue, but it was better than any of them would have guessed, both physically speaking and emotionally. And, of course, what better way was there to end the day than all sleeping together? 

Thomas got up right after they were finished, just like before, and helped clean up John while Alexander took a shower. "You did great, sunshine. I'm so proud of you." He left tiny kisses over his skin and helped him into his boxers and a t-shirt.

When Alexander came back, he laid down with John and Thomas went and took a shower. John preferred morning showers and was too tired out to take one then. "I really love you, you know that?.."

John nodded. "Of course I do."

"Good." Alexander kissed his nose. "I really enjoyed this.." He cuddled up against John's chest and sighed, shutting his eyes and slowly falling asleep as John held him. 

John himself didn't fall asleep until Thomas came back, though. He turned his head back and smiled at him, pecking his lips as he laid behind him and held him. 

"Go to sleep, sunshine. You need your rest and we have a long day ahead of us."

John nodded and did just that, yawning before shutting his eyes and falling asleep. 

In the morning, he felt the now familiar soreness in his hips and groaned a bit before stirring, careful not to wake Alexander. He sat up and stretched, finding that Thomas had already woken up. He smiled and got up, making his way to the bathroom and taking a shower before going to the living room, where Thomas and Alexander were already eating. They weren't going out of their way to avoid eye contact, but they weren't exactly making conversation either. 

John sat between them with his food and ate before helping them load Thomas's car with their things. The plan had been to let John take the first driving shift, but he seemed to be more worn out than expected and Thomas insisted that he take the first turn himself. 

"It's my car. I can take the first shift. We'll just switch."

"Are you sure?.. You woke up early to make breakfast. I should drive first and let you rest."

"No." He pecked his lips. "Get in the backseat with Alexander." 

John sighed, but nodded, and sat beside Alexander in the back, leaning against him as Thomas began driving. 

"Are you okay?.. You seem more tired than us both," Alexander pointed out. 

"I'll be fine. I've just been stressing about this week.. This is a big deal, from what James told me. I could really get some scholarships along with my usual pay, which is huge."

"You're going to do just fine, sunshine. If anyone has eyes, they'll love your work. I can't tell you how many times I looked at your work for this week and could've sworn there was someone else in the picture."

John smiled. "That's a trick I taught myself. There is someone else in the picture.. I'm going to keep that secret for myself, though." A magician never revealed his secrets and an artist never revealed his techniques. 

"You're going to do great."

"Thanks, guys.. Then there's the whole thing with seeing my mom.. But I think I'm ready for that." Of course, he still knew he was going to bawl his eyes out, but the idea of seeing her for the first time after all of those years became that much easier to imagine with each passing day. "I've just had a lot on my mind. I'll be fine. Just.. Wake me up when it's my turn to drive." He shut his eyes and fell asleep again. 

While he slept, the car was quiet besides some music that Thomas had playing. The atmosphere that would've been tense and full of malice two weeks ago was now just awkward. 

"So.." Alexander began, though he wasn't sure where the sentence was going. 

"Yeah.."

"Do you think you'll be able to handle having me around for the whole week?"

"I think I'll manage. If anything, I should be asking you. If you run off while we're down here, I'm not going after you." At least Thomas seemed to just be lightly teasing. 

"I don't need you coming after me. I'm not running off and I know John would care enough to find me if I did."

"Alright, I'll give you that." He shrugged. 

That was just how the ride was, quiet with the occasional bit of small talk as John slept. He didn't wake up or even stir until around two in the afternoon, as Thomas stopped for gas. 

"What time is it?.." He asked, feeling much more well rested. 

"1:49," Alexander responded. 

"Oh, shoot, why didn't he wake me up?" He sat up and undid his seat belt, getting out of the car and going up to Thomas as he pumped gas into the car. 

"Hey, sunshine. Get a good rest?"

"I did, but I told you to wake me up when it was my shift. Four hours ago."

"I could drive, hon. There aren't that many cars on these long highways, I'm alright."

John crossed his arms. "I'm taking the next shift. I feel rested, I'm alright to drive."

"Are you sure? I could just take a power nap at a rest stop and keep going." The effects of such a long drive were starting to show on Thomas's face. He looked just as worn out as he felt by the long trip. 

"I'm sure. We're over halfway there. I can take it from here. You and Alexander get some sleep and I'll wake you up if I get tired."

Thomas sighed and nodded. "Alright. There should be a rest stop a few minutes out. Let's take a lunch break there and stretch a bit before we keep driving."

"Alright." John got in the driver's seat and made his way to the rest stop before getting out with the other two. Alexander walked around a bit and Thomas stood and stretched by a picnic table that they claimed while John separated everyone's lunch, fast food that Thomas had picked up about half an hour before. When that didn't immediately wake up, it was a sign that he wasn't meant to wake up. 

The three sat and ate, then got in a bit more walking and stretching. After all, Thomas had driven for almost seven hours, yet they still had about five more to go. The trip was a killer on all of them. 

"I'd better call James, see how he's doing." He knew that James was driving as well, both of them deciding to do so to save a bit of money. He called him and he answered after a minute, the phone on speaker. 

"Hello?"

"Hey, James. I was just checking up on you and Dolley. How's everything with you guys?"

"We just got back on the road after lunch. We should be there in about four hours. What about you?"

"I'm taking a quick lunch break right now. We should be there a bit after you, maybe an hour or so."

"Alright. I've got all of your art, of course. I'll take it to the place tomorrow to have it set up for Monday."

"Great. You have them all separated like I had them, right?" John wanted to make sure that a variety of his art was shown each day, so he separated all of his pieces evenly among the five days.

"Of course. I know you have to see your mother tomorrow.. I hope that goes alright. I'll see you when you get here."

"Thanks, James. I'll see you then." 

James hung up and John put his phone in his pocket before taking a few final minutes to stretch. 

Once he was ready, everyone got in the car and John drove them the rest of the way, both Alexander and Thomas sleeping through the trip. John kept himself entertained with music and kept himself awake with a few sips of an energy drink, not really needing much of a boost after his nap. 

When they finally arrived at the city, John looked around at everything, careful to keep his eyes on the road at the same time. Everything looked so different than how he remembered it.. At the same time, everything looked exactly how he remembered it. It was a blend of old and new that made John feel old and childish at the same time. He smiled and drove through the town and to their hotel, parking Thomas's car beside James's before waking up Thomas and Alexander. 

"I'm going to get us checked in, then we can go up to our room. I'll just be a minute." He smiled at them and went to the front desk, checking in and getting their room key. By the time he got back, Thomas and Alexander got their things out of the trunk and were waiting with their bags for John. He smiled and got his stuff, then walked with them up to their hotel room. It was big for one person, but a pretty good size for three people, with one bed, of course, and one bathroom. Nothing too fancy, but it was comfortable. 

Alexander put his stuff down beside the bed before plopping onto it with a groan. "I never want to get in a car again. That was the longest twelve hours of my life."

Thomas rolled his eyes and chuckled, getting settled in before laying down, leaving a good amount of space for John.

He smiled and joined them, taking a deep breath and relaxing as he laid between them.

Unfortunately, his relaxation only lasted for a few minutes.

John tutted and for up to respond to the knocking, smiling as he saw James standing in the doorway. 

"There you are. I had a feeling that you had arrived."

"Hey, James. Where's Dolley? Sleeping?"

He nodded. "It was a long trip for us both. I just wanted to make sure that you got here safe."

"We're doing alright. Those two are getting ready to go to sleep themselves." John had told James about Thomas coming along, of course. 

The concept was a bit new to James, but he wasn't one to judge. He simply glanced inside of the room, following John's gestures, and waved at the two teenagers on the bed with a small smile before turning his attention back to John. "Everything seems to be going to plan, then. I'll call you if I need anything from you, alright?"

"Alright. I'm always free."

James nodded and walked back to his own room. 

John shut the door and went back to the bed, going for a bit of a jog before jumping and landing on the bed with a small, "Oomph."

Thomas laughed and threw an arm over John, kissing his cheek. "How do you feel actually being here?"

"I feel a lot of things. I recognize so much, but everything else just looks so different.." He flipped onto his back. "Like I can tell I've been gone for ten years and I'm just now understanding how long that really is, even though I've been knowing how long it's been. Does that make any sense?"

"Kind of.."

Alexander nodded. "I get it. Like when you kind of look at yourself and you realize that you're growing up.. I still have those moments when I look in the mirror and it just kind of hits how long it's been since I came to America.."

"Exactly." John smiled. "It's weird, but it's cool seeing how things have changed.."

"Right.." Alexander smiled a bit. He hadn't gotten the chance to see how things really changed back in his home country, but he knew he'd go back one day.. He wasn't sure when, but one day. 

"I get it now. I remember feeling something like that when my family moved back here from France. It wasn't Virginia, but it was America and it seemed so different.. Especially with all of the stupid slang. I felt exactly like Lafayette probably feels when they hear a new word."

Alexander snorted. "They're always using slang wrong."

"Yeah. You should've seen the look on his face when it finally clicked to them that lit has nothing to do with actual lights," John chuckled. 

"I can only imagine.." Alexander sighed as he thought on his relationship with Lafayette. It had always been iffy before. ... Okay, hostile was a better word for it. And it was because of Alexander. Lafayette spent a lot of time trying to get through to Alexander, but he wasn't ready for it, not ready to open up to anybody until John was there to protect him from anyone who tried to hurt him. He reached out and grabbed John's hand without even realizing it until he kissed his knuckles. 

"Are you alright? You kind of blanked out for a minute."

"I'm fine. I'm just thinking.. Lafayette really has been a great sibling.. You saw me before, how I was just.. I was such a dick to them for no reason. I just feel like I have a lot of time to make up for. They really didn't deserve to be treated like how I've been treating them.."

John frowned a bit. "Hey.. I'm sure all that matters to Lafayette is that you know that now. It just matters that you're a good brother now."

Alexander nodded a bit. That sounded exactly like Lafayette. "I just feel like.. I want to make up for it." He wasn't as hostile to Martha or even to George as he was to Lafayette, mainly because they kept their interactions fairly minimal, knowing that Alexander wasn't a people person, while Lafayette was constantly trying to engage him, to be his friend... Or his brother.. "I'll find a way when we get back." He promised it to himself. 

John nodded and kissed his cheek."You know.. I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to sleep."

Thomas nodded. "Me too."

"Me three.." Alexander got up and took a shower, then came back and laid with John, smiling as he saw that he was already asleep. His John.. No matter what. He understood that, he was doing his best to understand that Thomas wouldn't change that. He loved John. He trusted him. He kissed his forehead before getting under the blankets and falling asleep with him, Thomas climbing into bed with them once he was ready.


	74. Chapter 74

John made sure to set an alarm for early the next morning, careful not to let it wake Alexander or Thomas by shutting it off as fast as he could. Once it was silenced, he took a deep breath and got up, leaving a wall of pillows in his place to separate Thomas and Alexander before going to the bathroom and taking a thorough shower. Afterwards, he dried himself off and put on a white button up shirt, black slacks, a black tie, and black dress shoes, his hair up in a bun. He finished getting ready, then looked at himself in the mirror, taking a deep breath before leaving. 

He didn't want to take Thomas's car, in case he needed it, so he called an Uber to take him to a flower shop, where he got a beautiful bouquet of white lilies, his mother's favorite flowers, then to the cemetery where she was buried. Thankfully, the driver could sense that John was in a fragile place and didn't say anything besides a quick greeting. John made a note to give him five stars for that. 

When he got out of the car, he hesitated to go into the cemetery for a split second before remembering that his mom would've loved him no matter what. So what he was gay? So what he had two boyfriends? His mom would've loved him. He took a deep breath and began walking, looking around at the names. He never had the opportunity to see where she was buried, so he was a bit lost. Then he found it. The grave stone engraved with the words "Eleanor Laurens". He knelt down in front of it and put down the flowers before the sobs began. It started slow, a lump in John's throat, but, within the next minute, tears began cascading down his face in a waterfall and he cried. He cried harder than he had in who knew how long. And he couldn't stop. He didn't want to stop. He just let himself cry for at least the next hour. Then it slowly let up and he was able to speak again, his cheeks red and splotchy and his nose the same bright red as his eyes. He cleaned his face with a tissue before taking another deep breath. "Hi mom..." 

He let his mind go blank and just started speaking, letting her know every little thing that happened in the years since she'd been gone. No matter how bad it was, he told her. But he doubted that it was all knew. He knew that, wherever he was, she'd been keeping an eye on him, helping him through the years. Still... he wanted to make sure she knew every little thing. He even told her about his relationship with Thomas and Alexander, making sure to emphasize the fact that Thomas had changed and that Alexander really did love him, even if he made a few bad choices. He wasn't sure how she would have felt about them or any boys who tried to date him, if he was honest. But, if he had to guess, she would have loved them just as much as he loved him. 

"I brought pictures.." He pulled out his phone and looked at the pictures of his boyfriends, smiling softly. "This one's Thomas and that's Alexander. They're both really good looking, aren't they?" He chuckled to himself before continuing. "I really love them both... I know people are going to judge, they already have, but they make me happy and they protect me. They make mistakes, but they're only human. I love them, flaws and all.. I think you'd love them.." He sighed and put his phone away. 

"All of the kids are okay with dad.. I wish I could watch them more often, but I think you'd be glad that I wasn't in that environment anymore.. He can't hurt me anymore.. He can't hurt us anymore.." 

His father never beat or even hit his mother like he did John, but he did treat her poorly in some aspects, mainly from his own beliefs. Not letting her do anything around that time of month and yelling if he found out she did, keeping her away from her own friends, especially male ones, and family, making her change her name when they married, not using pain medication during birth and not allowing a c-section... Of course, his father refused to take the blame for John's mom's death, but he knew better. 

He shook the thoughts out of his head. This wasn't the time. "I really miss you.. All the time.." He shifted so he was sitting with his legs crossed. "I made sure the triplets know all about you and how great I knew you were. They wish they could've met you.. I did my best, but we both know I could never be as great of a parent as you were.."

He felt his throat closing up again, his urge to cry coming back. He let the tears flow, but it wasn't nearly as bad as before. "Things are so hard without you.. But I'm doing just fine. I just miss you... I love you so much.."

He ran out of words to say, but he wasn't ready to leave. He'd been there for a couple of hours, but it wasn't enough. Ten years since he last saw her. It wasn't enough to come back. Then it clicked. 

It'd never be enough. His father forced him away when he needed her most, when he needed to learn and accept that she wasn't coming back. He'd never have enough time catching up with her at her grave. The thought hurt, but it was true. It was never going to feel like the right time to leave. He frowned and stayed right where he was anyways. There was no rush to leave. He could stay there for hours. That was the plan.

"Sunshine?.." a soft voice called out. 

"Hey, baby.." another called. 

John burst into tears again. How could he not? He knew that the place he was most safe, besides with his mother, was with the two of them. What was there to stop him from crying?

As expected, both Thomas and Alexander immediately sat at John's sides and held him, comforting him as he sobbed. But they didn't try to stop his crying. They knew he needed it, that he needed to cry and get his feelings out. They just sat with him until he stopped crying on his own, letting him introduce them to his mom. 

"This is Thomas and Alexander... I told you they were handsome.." He laughed softly. "And that they were sweet.. They're the best thing to happen to me besides you and the family.. I love them and they love me.. I know you'd love them.."

"We're taking good care of him," Thomas promised. 

"John's amazing. We'd never try to hurt him."

"You raised an amazing son."

John smiled and shut his eyes, leaning against Thomas and pulling Alexander to lean against him. He let his tears fall until there weren't anymore, then moved to get up. "I think I'm ready.."

"Are you sure? There's no rush," Alexander reminded him. 

"I'm sure." He wiped his eyes, smiling. He was never going to get over his mother's death. He was never going to accept it. But with Alexander and Thomas there to support him when he needed it, he knew things were going to be okay. "Let's get back to the hotel.. We can change into comfortable clothes, then do some walking around." 

"Alright." They both got up and Thomas put his arm around John's shoulders, leading him to the car, while Alexander held his hand, walking right beside them. They got in the car and went back to the hotel. They all changed into comfortable clothes before going back to the car. 

"Do you think we can see where you used to live?.. If not that's okay.." Alexander suggested timidly. He was curious about his past, but he didn't want to bring up painful memories. 

"Of course we can. It wasn't a gated community or anything." John remembered exactly where he went to school and where he lived, giving Thomas perfect directions from memory. 

Alexander was surprised to see that it was a normal, public school. He supposed it made sense, especially considering he still went to public school. 

"My mom wanted to make sure I was around lots of kids, not just some from one social class or whatever. I refused to go to the private school and actually enrolled myself in the public middle school before my father actually gave up." That was not a fun week.. "We can go by my house if you guys want, too." 

"Of course I want to see." Alexander smiled. The house was bigger than normal, but it was nowhere near the size of John's father's current house. 

"You guys were probably expecting a mansion or something, but my mom tried to raise us pretty normally. She came from old money herself, actually, and she was always jealous of the kids who went to public school and whose friends weren't interested in her family name, just in her. So, she kept things pretty humble."

The only person that hadn't actually been interested in his mother as a person was his father. 

John sighed and looked around. Things were exactly how he remembered them. There were a few more trees some places and a few less in others, but it looked almost exactly like- John's eyes went wide. 

"John? What's up?" 

He didn't respond. He just opened the door and dashed out, almost forgetting to take off his seat belt before running down the street and practically tackling someone in a hug. 

Thomas parked the car and got out, following John with Alexander close behind. When they got close, they were able to see that both John and the girl he was hugging were... crying? 

"... Are you Martha Manning?.." Thomas asked quietly. 

She nodded and let John go, drying her eyes. "Yeah... I was the only friend this dork could make back in the day.. He told you about me?.."

John answered for him. "I told them you were sick.. I thought you were..."

"I know.. I didn't think I was going to make it, but I pulled through. I'm a few months cancer free."

Thomas felt his heart stop for a few seconds. So that's why John didn't want to tell them what happened to her. 

She pulled off her beanie and showed John the short hair that she'd managed to grow back. "I'm getting my hair back, finally."

He chuckled. "I'm glad. It's a good thing you always liked it short." 

"Pfft. Not this short." She smiled. "Maybe I can make something work with this, though."

"If anyone can, you can." He smiled and hugged her again. "I can't believe I'm actually here, seeing you again.."

"I can't believe you're here either. So, who are these two and are either of them single?"

John rolled his eyes. "They're both mine. This one's Thomas and this one's Alexander." 

They both smiled and waved, but Martha's smile dropped. 

"Thomas?.. As in Thomas Jefferson?"

"We're past that, Martha. He's changed, I've changed, we're happy together."

"I don't doubt that." She grabbed Thomas's collar anyways and pulled him down to her eye level. "You hurt John ever again and I'll make sure you regret it. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," he squeaked out. 

"Good." She looked at Alexander. "And you, don't make me have to give you the same talk."

"Martha, you're so embarrassing sometimes."

"I have to make sure they don't hurt my baby brother." She pulled him into a headlock and rubbed her knuckles against his skull. 

"When I say I've always wondered what it was like to have an older brother, this is not what I meant," he joked as he squirmed out of her grip. 

She shrugged and let him go, helping him fix his hair. "I'm just saying, if they hurt you, I'm not afraid to kill a couple of people."

"I believe that. I'm just saying you won't have to."

"How are little Martha and the other three?"

"Not so little anymore." He smiled and showed her a picture of them all from when he last visited them. 

"Aw, they're all so precious.." She looked at the picture and smiled. "I can't believe your dad made you leave them.." 

"He was going to find out sooner or later... I'm doing alright." 

"I'd expect so, especially with the inheritance your mom left you."

He furrowed his eyebrows a bit. "You know I'm not 18 yet. I haven't heard about any inheritance. I've been making money selling art."

She looked at him, confused for a second before it clicked. "You don't know.."

"Know what?"

She glanced back at Thomas and Alexander and pulled John a few feet away to talk to him a bit more privately. "After the burial, they read your mom's will. She wanted everyone who came to hear it. She left everything to you right after she died. She knew you'd be responsible." 

John felt like a train hit him. "I never heard about this."

"That must be why your dad made you leave with Martha.. He knew it was coming and didn't want you to know. She cried through most of the service and he didn't make you take her until.."

"Oh my god.. I have to find out some more about this..."

"Do you think you can handle this?.."

"Yeah. That's legally mine and I've been struggling since he kicked me out.. It was her final wish. I can get this sorted out." John's father had managed to reach an entire new level of low. It was far from a fact, leaving John to fend for himself was exactly something that he'd do, but did he really believe that he was never going to figure it out? 

"Sunshine?.. Are you okay?"

"Can we go back to the hotel? You guys can spend the day out, but I have to do something.."

"I don't know.. We'll go back, but I don't want to leave you.."

"Me neither."

John nodded. "You guys can stay with me. I just.. I need to do something, okay?.."

"Alright.. Let's get you back, then."

"Before you go," Martha interrupted, pulling John back towards her. She grabbed his phone and put herself in as a contact. 

"That's a lesson to me to put a lock on my phone."

"Yes it is. You'd better keep in touch. I'll see you around." She hugged him one more time before letting him leave. 

"Do you mind if we ask what's going on?" Alexander asked in the car. 

"Kind of.. But you guys don't have to worry. I'll get everything settled." He smiled reassuringly. 

"Okay.." 

"You guys can look for things you want to go see and do tomorrow, okay?"

Alexander nodded. 

"Yeah, we can do that." Thomas smiled at him in the rear view mirror for a second before looking back at the road as he drove them. 

When they got back to the hotel, John grabbed his laptop and sat on the couch in the corner, looking up a few things while Thomas and Alexander quietly discussed what they should do. There were a few arguments that almost broke out, but they kept it quiet, for John's sake. 

John stayed on his computer for a few hours, mainly exchanging emails with the attorney that had a copy of his mom's will. He found out a few things that day. First: Martha was right. John had no idea how much his mother had actually left to him. Second: He was already entitled to everything. His mom wanted him to be taken care of when she died if his father had ever forced him away or if he had to leave. Third: His father knew exactly how to get into the money. He'd been doing it for years. 

The final email he received before calling it a night told him the options he had with this. Of course, there was always the option of getting his father arrested for stealing the money and getting access to what was left, which was still quite a lot. But John didn't want to take that route. 

Sure, he could use the money to help him raise his siblings, but... He was going to college soon. He loved his siblings, maybe more than he did himself, but he simply wouldn't have the time to raise them... Maybe after college, but not during. Maybe not even then. His father was awful to John, but he treated them all well, rarely even raising his voice at them. The thought of himself being too busy for his siblings hurt and made him feel awful, but.. He was responsible. He knew what was best for them. He just missed them... He got up and stretched, Thomas and Alexander looking over at him as they ate. 

"Are you alright?" Alexander asked. 

"I'm fine. It's not something I really want to discuss." He didn't mind telling them about the money, he knew they weren't going to change because of it, it was what his father had done that kept him from saying anything, especially to Alexander. He may not have been mad about the Laurens Pamphlet and he may have trusted him almost completely... But that was still a bit iffy when it came to secrets like this. "What did you guys get?"

"Mexican food. Come eat with us," Thomas offered. 

John nodded and moved towards them, sitting with them and eating. He needed it after the long day and he hadn't eaten all day. He ate most of what was left of the food, mumbling apologies, Thomas assuring him it was fine. "Did you guys figure out what to do this week?"

"Yeah, we figured some things out." Alexander showed him a master list of things that the pair agreed on and John smiled, choosing the most things that they could do while still enjoying their time. 

"Looks like we have our days planned."

"Looks like we do." Thomas kissed his cheek. "Get some sleep, sunshine. You've had a long day."

"Alright.." John changed into some pajamas, then came back and crawled under the covers, falling asleep.


	75. Chapter 75

When he woke up in the morning, he got up and ordered breakfast, then took a quick shower, getting out by the time the food got there and beginning to eat as he waited for the other two to wake up.

Alexander was next up, smiling at John as he sat up and saw him. “Good morning..”

“Good morning.” He smiled and beckoned him over, something that he gladly did.

He sat beside John and grabbed some of the food, eating with him. “Are you excited for today?”

“Yeah. I’ve never been to anything this big. I even asked James if I’d have to wear a tuxedo, which, luckily, I don’t. It’s all fancy and stuff, but not that fancy.”

“I’m glad because then I’d stick out like a sore thumb trying to see your work.” He kissed his cheek. John smiled. “You’d be the real artwork.”

“Oh, hush, we both know you have the skills of a god. Your art is definitely more beautiful than me and I’m not hearing anything against it.”

John shrugged. “Alright. Be wrong.” He chuckled.

“If anything, it’ll be you that draws them in, pretty boy.”

He rolled his eyes playfully. “Whatever.”

Alexander smiled and kept eating.

Thomas woke up and joined them a bit later, thanking John for the food and kissing his cheek. “So, what have you two been talking about while I was asleep?”

“How John’s the real artwork people are coming to see.”

“Yeah, sure, okay,” John mocked.

“He’s got a point. You , sunshine, are absolutely stunning.” Thomas cupped his cheek and pecked his lips, making him blush lightly.

“And you two are absolutely insane.” He muttered, though his smile was immovable. “What time are we leaving to go out?”

Thomas checked his phone. “Maybe half an hour?”

“Sounds great.”

The three kept eating and finished getting ready before piling into Thomas’s car and leaving, heading to Fort Sumter. It was Alexander’s choice, as curious as he was about history, and nobody had anything against the idea, so they went.

Alexander looked like a kid in a candy store on the tour, taking his time asking as many questions as he could.

“I didn’t know you were into history. You always just write.”

“I don’t understand how anyone would not love history! To learn about the past, the wars we’ve fought and the battles we’ve gone through to get where we are. My favorite time, personally, is colonial American times, but I also love a good Civil War battle.”

John smiled. “Alright, I’ve got a treat for you after this. Thomas mind if I drive?”

“Not at all.” He kissed the top of his head.

“Great.” He held Alexander’s hand and watched him light up with every fact, falling that much more in love with him every time.

Once it was time to go, Alexander was spilling out facts, knowing that Thomas and John weren’t paying as much attention, and asking them how they enjoyed it. Of course, Thomas just said it was alright and John said it was interesting,

“But I preferred watching you light up at every fact.” He got in the driver’s seat and began driving them, turning down Thomas’s offer of a map. “No, I think I know where I’m going. My mom took us there a few times to tell us a bit about history.” She kind of had the Civil War and the Revolutionary war confused, but the lesson was clear all the same. John had no idea how many different bloodlines came to make up his own, but his mother taught him that a long time ago, a very, very long time ago, he’d had slave owning relatives as well as slave relatives, a few of which escaped and made their way to Puerto Rico. She told him that that might have been his family history, but that he wasn’t ruled by it. This mainly came up whenever his spoiled classmates began calling him derogatory names. He wanted to fight him, but he told his mother and asked her for advice first.

“Those kids are talking about your history, about things that happened a long time ago. You’re going to be the bigger person here and embrace that part of you. Don’t you let them keep calling you that, but also don’t let the reason they call you that be the problem. So you look a bit different, your skin’s a bit darker. Who cares? What matters is we all have red blood and a lot of people spilled blood here to prove it.”

John had to admit, it was a bit embarrassing when he actually learned about the Civil War and claimed that that was a battle site for that war, but the message stuck.

“Here we are.” He parked the car and smiled, leading Alexander to a sign in front of the river, letting Alexander read it for himself.

“Oh my god.. Oh my god, this is an actual war site!” He’d never been able to visit any in New York because, to be frank, he was afraid that the question would raise alarms with Martha and George. “This is so cool!” He jumped around for a second before calming himself down and reading the rest of the sign. “I didn’t know any of this stuff… I can’t believe a real Revolutionary War happened right here!”

“We lost this one, but it was just one battle in a whole war that helped us kind of become what we are today. As a country, we’re not all that great.. But definitely could be worse.”

Alexander nodded and took a few steps back, taking John’s hand. “This is so cool..” He smiled widely and turned around, kissing John passionately. “Are you going to have amazing surprises for me every time we go somewhere?” he asked once he pulled away.

“I don’t know, but if I get to get kissed like that every time, I’ll make sure to surprise you more often.”

Alexander smiled. “I’ll kiss you like that whenever you want.” He pecked his lips again.

“Great.” He kissed him again for a few seconds, cupping his cheek as he pulled away. “You deserve all of these surprises.”

“You’re a miracle..” he hummed.

He kissed his forehead. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah.” He held his hand and walked with him back to the car, getting in the back while Thomas and John were in the front, John driving them to get some lunch. “What’s next?”

“Maybe we could get some rest before tonight,” Thomas suggested. “You’re going to have a long night.” Of course, just staying awake until midnight wouldn’t have been a challenge, but John staying up on his feet and selling art for that long was definitely going to wear him out.

“Are you sure? I can keep going for a while.”

“No, we’re getting you back for rest. You don’t know when to rest.”

John thought for a second before nodding. “Alright.. After lunch.” He went with them and got some McDonald’s.

“So, what’s the dress code for tonight?” Thomas asked. “And are we matching or just doing our own thing?”

“Black tie optional. And you guys can wear what you want, I’ve got a black suit and tie.”

He nodded. “I should have something good for that.”

“Me too. Lafayette helped me pick something before we came over here. I actually asked before we came here,” Alexander grinned.

“Alex,” John warned, though there was a slightly playful tone in his voice. He could tell Alexander was joking.

“Yeah, Alex,” Thomas joked back at him.

Alexander shrugged and kept eating. “Just saying.”

John kissed his cheek and finished his food, sitting back and waiting for the other two.

Thomas and Alexander finished a few minutes after him and got up, going back to the car with him.

“Alright, I’m so ready for a power nap after this.” John smiled and sat in the driver’s seat.

“Me too,” Thomas stretched and ‘subtly’ put his arm around the back of John’s seat, leaning over and kissing his cheek.

“Get a room,” Alexander chuckled.

“We have a room. We just need to find a place for you to stay.” He shrugged.

Alexander rolled his eyes.

“You guys are ridiculous.” John smiled and began driving.

Thomas smiled and moved his arm down to John’s shoulders, feeling him relax a bit as he did. “You are a sweetheart, you know that?”

“Whatever.” John chuckled and got to the hotel, going up to the room with them both.

When they got up to the room, John plopped onto the bed and sighed, kicking off his shoes. “Wake me up at 1.” He crawled under the blankets and fell asleep.

Thomas smiled and kissed his cheek before sitting at the foot of the bed and grabbing his bag, taking care of his Spring Break homework.

Alexander sat across the room, doing the same. “You’re not actually going to try anything with John while we’re here, are you?”

“One of the rules were not to, so I’m guessing no.”

“Alright. If you do, just let me know so I can leave or something.”

“Noted, but it’s not going to happen. Why don’t you just join us if you do, anyways?”

Alexander looked over at him, wondering if he was serious. “You don’t just ask someone that.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t think it’d be that big of a deal after Friday.”

“Well, you guessed wrong.. I mean… I’d do it again, but probably not just out of nowhere..”

“Mind if I ask why?”

“I don’t like you that way. I know that doing that with you both doesn’t necessarily mean that I like you, but I don’t know..”

Thomas nodded. “Alright. It was just a suggestion, I’m not going to make you do anything with us.”

“I know..” Even he trusted Thomas enough not to force him into anything like that. “Just… Just tell me if you want alone time with John. He said not to for our sake and I don’t really care if you do anything, as long as I don’t have to be around to see it.”

“Alright..” But Thomas wasn’t so sure about that. Hell, he could tell that Alexander wasn’t so sure about it. He’d consider the offer, alone time with John was great, whether or not it meant sex, but he wasn’t going to put Alexander out and make John feel bad about it.

The pair worked in silence for the next hour, Thomas’s alarm ringing once it was time for John to get up. He got up and sat by John, gently grabbing his shoulder and rubbing circles into the back of it. “Hey.. It’s time to get up, sunshine. You’ve got people to blow away.”

John woke up quickly, smiling a bit at Thomas’s comment. “Thanks..” He got up and grabbed his outfit, then went to the bathroom and changed and did his hair. “How do I look?” he asked when he came back out.

“Like a million bucks.”

“You look great, John.”

He smiled and fiddled with the cuffs of his black suit jacket, then went to the door as Madison knocked.

“Are you ready?”

“Yep. Let me just grab my things.” He got his phone, wallet, and keys, then gave Alexander and Thomas a quick kiss before leaving with James.

“Are they coming too?” James asked.

“Yeah. They brought dress clothes from back home, don’t worry.”

“For every day?”

He thought for a second. “That, I’m not so sure about.”

“Okay. Did you at least bring a different outfit for everyday?”

“Of course. I got the dress schedule you sent me.”

“Good.” James wanted the two to match everyday on the off chance that one of them would end up in a tux while the other just wore a suit, so he made a schedule for them. Black suit with white shirt, then black suit with black shirt, then with a navy blue shirt, then a blue suit with a white shirt, and, finally, tuxedos for the last and most formal day.

The pair got into James’s car and went to the venue, checking in before going and waiting at their places. It was almost like a normal event, only with a more strict dress code and the art was set up for them. It was an amazing opportunity for them both and they were not about to let it slip.

Thomas and Alexander were getting ready soon after John left. Thomas even tied his hair back into a bun, looking almost a bit like Lafayette.

“Only Laf is kind of shorter and much more pleasant all-around,” Alexander continued after pointing it out.

“He has to be to put up with you.”

Alexander didn’t know whether or not Thomas was just joking around. He just muttered a simple, “Whatever..” in response.

“It’s a joke, Hamilton. You can’t call me unpleasant and get mad when I snap back at you.”

“Right..” He went into the bathroom and brushed his hair out before pulling it back into a bun, tying it back with a green ribbon that he only brought out on special occasions. “Are you ready to go?”

Thomas nodded. “I’m just waiting on you.”

“I’m ready.” He was wearing a black suit with a dark, dull green shirt underneath and Thomas was wearing one with a lavender shirt.

“Great. Let’s go.” He got in the car with Alexander and plugged the address from the tickets that John had left them into his GPS before driving off. “So, what am I to you? You clearly still don’t like me, so not a friend. But you don’t hate me.”

“Why does it matter?”

“I’m just making conversation.” He shrugged.

Alexander thought for a minute. “I don’t know.. You’re kind of just my boyfriend’s boyfriend who I don’t get along with.”

“The feeling’s mutual. What about rival? I know we’re not actually fighting over John or anything, but we’re kind of rivals everywhere else.”

“What about frenemy? You’re between my friend and my enemy, I guess.”

Thomas snorted a bit. “I know puns are usually your thing, but what about boyfrienemy? If we actually got along well, we’d probably be considered boyfriends and it’s still kind of has that stupid notion that we have to fight over John.”

Alexander couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Boyfrienemy… “I like it. I can’t want to see how people react to hearing that disaster word.”

Thomas nodded. A minute or so later, he pulled up at the convention hall and had his car valet parked before walking inside with Alexander kind of trailing behind him. “So, you want to find John first or look around a bit so we can be properly blown away?”

“We can look around, but if I see stupid modern art, I’m leaving.”

“Fair enough.” He shrugged before beginning to walk around with Alexander.

Everyone had typical ghost paintings and vampires biting teenage girl necks and werewolves howling at the moon. Every supernatural stereotype and more was on display, mainly in the form of paintings and occasionally in the form of a sculpture. There were a few eye catching pieces, some newer perspectives from the younger artists, but they were few and far in between.

“I’m no art snob, but I really thought there’d be something different to look at. I feel like I’m on the set of Twilight,” Thomas commented quietly as they passed yet another young, handsome vampire smoking in the sunlight.

“Me too..” Alexander muttered.

“Let’s try and find John’s area. I haven’t really scene anything he’s been working on.” He was a master at keeping his work hidden, even as it was drying.

“Me neither.” Alexander immediately began wandering off, just wanting to find John and stay with him. He didn’t hate Thomas’s company, but he’d pick John over him in a heartbeat.

Thomas followed behind him, doing his best to keep an eye on him, as short as he was. Alexander may have had shorter legs, but he also had an easier time ducking through the crowd, so he was covering ground much quicker than Thomas was. A bit too much quicker.

“I can’t find him anywhere.. Do you see anything, Thomas?” He turned around, expecting the tall Virginian to just point in the right direction, but he instead saw an unfamiliar face passing him. Then another. And another. And no Thomas behind them. Worse than that, there was no John, either.

“Hey, Thomas,” John greeted with a smile before turning back to the people he’d been speaking with.

Thomas gave him a small wave and waited until John was free to talk.

“Are you having fun?”

“It’s been alright. I accidentally lost Alexander, though. Can you give me his number so I can help him back here? He’s just wandering, trying to look for you.”

“Yeah, no problem.” He pulled out his phone and unlocked it before handing it to Thomas. “Ignore the background.”

“You just had to use that picture, didn’t you?” What other picture would be the background on John’s phone than the one of Thomas and Alexander cuddling in their sleep? He ignored it and called Alexander, receiving an answer within a few seconds.

“John, where are you? I can’t find your booth.”

“It’s not John, it’s me. I found John. Where are you right now?”

He told him where he was and Thomas helped lead him through everything over the phone until he spotted him.

“Alright, I see you. Turn right.”

Alexander looked over and saw Thomas waving. He sighed in relief and hung up, going over to them and looking at John’s art. There was something so unique about his style and so human about his monster subjects. About the young teenager desperately fighting to hide his skin as it smoked. About the forgetful werewolf who’s going through the misery of her transformation in the middle of the city. About the ghost paintings that looked normal, but felt off, like something was missing from them. Or someone. Those seemed to be John’s most popular pieces. The others were just as great and original and they were being sold, but not nearly as fast as his ghost paintings.

James seemed pleased and decided to take a small break, letting John do the talking for a while as a crowd of women came their way.

He seemed to expertly flatter them and flirt and keep their attention.


	76. Chapter 76

"Good evening, ladies." He flashed them his sweetest smile and they all returned it. 

"Hey there. So, what's the story behind the ghost paintings. There's just such a feeling around them that we can't seem to explain."

John nodded and turned to the painting in question. "Well, that's a little artist trick, a little secret for me, but you are right. There is more to the story than what's on the surface. See these two? They're mourning the loss of their oldest, but they're acting like nothing's wrong." He pointed at the two older faces on the painting, their faces clearly hiding a sense of sorrow. 

"And what about her?" One of the girls pointed at the small child in the painting, smiling like there was no tomorrow.

"She doesn't have to mourn. She can still see him." 

The girls murmured amongst each other, one by one claiming that they could see her too. John smiled. 

"It takes a huge heart to be able to still see him."

John had them roped in. He was able to tell them about every other piece that he had and sell to a few of them effortlessly. 

Thomas watched with interest. It was odd seeing the ever oblivious John, who couldn't tell when girls at school flirted with him, flirting with these women in such a way that he sold them his art.

James noticed his look of intrigue and confusion. "I trained him. I made sure he didn't mind, but he's an outsider in the art world. It's much harder for him to build his own name with his art alone, especially at more exclusive events such as these. He's hooking their interest and growing his crowds for tomorrow."

"So.. He doesn't really have a choice, does he?.." Alexander muttered. 

"I wouldn't say that. He just wouldn't sell as much art if he stuck to just talking about it. A similar trick works on men, actually. Making them feel smarter than they are, especially with his art tricks. Telling them that they're among the only ones who could actually see it." He chuckled at that. "Again, I made sure he was okay with this before teaching him and we agreed to keep it modest enough to where it's mainly flattery. Nobody's expecting anything from him after this night."

"Right.." Alexander still felt wrong about it. He didn't mind that John had to flirt. He minded that he had to in order to sell his art. He was bothered by the fact that his talent wasn't enough, despite the fact that he had a ton of talent and a fresh eye, not the same work as everyone else. 

Thomas was bothered by it as well, of course, but not as much. He knew how the world worked and the world put John at a disadvantage just because he didn't know the right people. But John knew how to take care of it. He had an idea on how to climb his way up the ladder, to add his own rungs to it rather than keep trying to get one that was out of reach. And he was proud of him for that. Of course, he wished that John could be great on talent alone, but he knew that it wasn't realistic.

The three watched as John worked his charm on men and women alike until one particularly bothersome person came along. The event, of course, had wine for those who were of age and this man clearly had too much.

"You know what's prettier than the artwork? You."

John was surprised by the sudden comment, but gave a polite smile anyways. "Are you interested in the art or just the guy selling it?" he joked in a dry voice. 

"I'm interested in you, cutie. What do you say? I'll pay you for one night more than you'd earn staying in this stuffy dump."

"No.. Please move along." John took a step away from the table, trying to distance himself. 

"Oh, come on. Someone as pretty as you shouldn't be so shy about this." He leaned over the table, trying to get closer to John. 

Thomas gritted his teeth. John was clearly uncomfortable. He stepped forward to help him, but James put an arm in front of him. 

"Don't, unless you want to get yourself banned for the rest of the week." He grabbed his phone and called security, telling them what was happening.

John glanced over at where they were standing and relaxed a bit when he saw James calling help. He could deal with the creep until then. 

"Come on, sweetness. Don't be such a prude."

"I'm only seventeen, leave me alone."

The guy laughed. "This is South Carolina, you only have to be sixteen. Quit using your weak ass excuses and come with me." He reached out and grabbed John's wrist, though he was quick to try and pull away.

"Excuse me, is this man bothering you?" another man asked John, flashing him his security badge. 

John nodded. "Yes, he is."

"Come with me, sir."

"Go screw yourself." He tutted and pulled John closer, going to grab his other arm.

The guard stopped him, grabbing that arm and pulling his hand off of John before taking him away. As drunk as he'd been, it was hardly a challenge. 

John sighed in relief and held his arm, rubbing where he'd been held. 

Another guard came over and went up to him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I think the worst this'll do is bruise." 

"Alright. I'm sorry for that. He won't be allowed back in, don't worry."

"Thank you." John smiled and watched the guard walk off. 

Thomas and Alexander went up to him from the front of the table.

"Are you alright, sunshine?"

"Did he hurt you?"

John shook his head. "He just grabbed my arm. I'll be alright." He smiled at them. "At the worst, it'll just bruise. I'm okay."

They both nodded, mostly convinced, and James went back beside John. 

"Sorry about that guy."

"It's alright. It's not your fault."

"Go sit and take a break. I can take care of things here or call you if I need help."

"Thanks, James." He sat at the side of the booth, Thomas and Alexander sitting with him. "Besides that, this has actually been a pretty good day. I've gotten some pretty high bids on some pieces, so that's awesome."

Thomas nodded. "As expected from such a talented, young, and handsome artist." He kissed his cheek.

John blushed at the kiss and at the comment. "I can't deny that my looks had a little something to do in reigning people in. Maybe we should get you to help us since you're so smooth with your words."

"Maybe you should." He pecked his lips. 

Alexander grabbed John's hand, wanting his share of attention. "These people would be crazy to not want to buy your art. You're so amazing at it."

"Thanks, baby." He kissed his forehead. "You guys are awesome. Are you having a good time?"

Alexander shrugged. "There's not really much to do and I only really like your work. Everyone else looks like rejected Twilight covers."

He chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, it's all the same, but it sells sometimes. The same works in different styles. People at huge events like this play it safe with their work while our usual ones have some more variety."

"I noticed.."

"Yeah, it's a shame even art is controlled by a hive mind. Doesn't that go against what art stands for?"

John nodded. "A lot of these people don't really care about the art. They care about making money. I'm one of the few people who got invited here that weren't backed by huge sponsors. James sent in some pictures of my work and made a case for me to come."

"At least they're smart enough to let you in," Alexander commented. 

John nodded and looked up as James called him over, getting up and going to him. Scholarship representatives. John gave his best smile and stood up straight, doing his best to impress with his work. 

Thomas smiled as he watched him. "That James guy really turned him into a proper businessman."

"What do you mean?"

"He's too goofy to be like that on his own. It's adorable, but it doesn't go over well with some of these snobs."

Alexander nodded. "Okay, I see it now." John was a lot more professional than he usually was. It was strange to see him like that, but it fit with the environment. 

"I'm going to go get a glass of wine." 

"You're underage." 

Thomas shrugged. "Look at me. Nobody knows a thing." He ended up getting away with it a lot due to his height and demeanor. He got up and left, coming back with two glasses, one for himself and one for Alexander. "Want some?"

"No, people always think I'm a kid. I don't want you to get in trouble for this."

Thomas shrugged and put the second glass on the table, taking sips of his first. "Maybe John'll want it." He took another sip, then paused for a second. "Never mind. Bad idea."

"Why do you say that?"

"You've seen him drunk. I gave him one glass of wine on our movie date and he was already gone."

Alexander nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like John."

Thomas kept drinking his wine and watched John at work with a small smile. 

Alexander sat up and began yawning a little while before the event ended. He rested his head in his hands and began nodding off.

Thomas sighed. "Alright. We're heading out." 

"Hmm?.." 

"We're heading back to the hotel." He got up and went to John and James. "Hey, sunshine. We're going to head back to the hotel, alright?"

"Sure. I'll be back in a few hours." 

"Can I get a kiss?"

John nodded and leaned forward, pecking Thomas's lips. "I'll see you guys later."

"Bye." He smiled and went to Alexander, nudging his shoulder. "Come on, Hamilton. We're going back."

He nodded and got up, following Thomas out of the event and to the car. He knocked out as soon as they got in the car. 

Thomas chuckled and drove them back to the hotel, waking him up when they got back. "Come on. Sleep inside." 

He groaned and got out of the car, stumbling as he followed Thomas into the elevator and over to their room once they were inside. He flopped onto the bed and fell asleep, barely taking off his shoes before he did so. 

Thomas let him be and sat on the couch, sitting on his computer as he waited for John. 

John came back a couple of hours later, yawning and stretching as he walked into the room. 

"How'd everything go, sunshine?" 

"The night ended great. More successful night we've had, financially speaking. And I actually did sell a lot of paintings."

"That's great. And it's only the first day."

John nodded and headed into the bathroom, changing into shorts and a muscle shirt. He came back out and sat beside Alexander, looking at Thomas. "I'm going to get him into some pajamas, okay? Can you go to the bathroom or something for a minute."

"No problem. I was going to take a shower, anyways." He got up and did that.

John smiled and carefully moved Alexander around, getting him into sweatpants and a tee shirt before laying with him and waiting for Thomas to join them.

"Thanks for waiting up, sunshine." He pecked his lips as he laid with them and smiled as he laid down. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." John smiled and fell asleep with them. 

Three days down and four more to go. 

Alexander was the first one awake the next morning, ordering breakfast and sitting on the couch as he waited for it, working on his Spring Break homework. What kind of monster assigned homework over Spring Break? John Adams, of course. Thomas had done his own the day before, but Alexander let himself wait a little longer before working on his own. And John would probably do his last minute, if Alexander knew him. He chuckled at the thought and just worked on his own, answering the door and getting the breakfast as it was brought up to the room.

The smell of food woke John up and he sat up, stretching. "Good morning.."

"Good morning. Did you change my clothes last night?"

"Yeah, but I made sure Thomas was out of the room first."

"Okay. I was just asking." He smiled and kissed John's cheek as he came over for the food. 

John pecked his lips and began eating. 

"So, I never got to ask you how last night went."

"It went great. I can't believe I have to do all that standing and talking for four more days, though. If I wasn't such a lightweight, I'd take advantage of that free wine."

"John, you're underage."

He tutted. "Fine, I'll get Thomas to get me wine."

Alexander chuckled. "According to him, that wouldn't be a good idea. He said you got drunk off of a couple of glasses of wine on your date."

John chuckled awkwardly. "You heard about that?.."

"He brought it up. He got some wine and brought me a glass, but I didn't want it. He thought about giving it to you, then he remembered that and decided against it."

"Honestly, that sounded like a good choice." He shrugged and kept eating. 

Thomas woke up a few minutes after, Alexander looking away as he sat up, shirtless. "Good morning, sunshine."

"Good morning. As much as I like the view, would you mind putting on some clothes?"

Thomas shrugged. "What do I get if I do?"

"You get the right to kiss me for the rest of the day." 

"Right." He pulled on some sweatpants and a shirt before sitting with the pair and eating.

Alexander relaxed and kept eating, a blush still prominent on his cheeks. He'd have to be blind to say that Thomas wasn't attractive, but he didn't want to be attracted to him. He didn't like him romantically, not in the slightest, so it just felt wrong. 

John noticed how awkward he was and made a note to ask abouTet it later. He wasn't going to make him say anything with Thomas around. 

"So, what's today?"

"There's this cute little family carnival that I love visiting. There's a few rides, small ones, but it's nice."

"Oh, right. I remember now. That sounds like fun."

John smiled and finished eating, then went and took a cold shower, needing to wake himself up properly. When he came out, he looked more energized and was ready to go. Alexander and Thomas were ready soon after and they were off, going down to the car. John drove them to the carnival, parking almost a block away. 

"Sorry about the distance. There's not that much parking and I don't want to try and park at the actual place, then end up coming back here anyways."

"No worries, sunshine."

"Yeah, I don't mind the walk. It's alright." 

John smiled and walked with them, his arm around Alexander's waist and his other hand in Thomas's. 

As he expected, there was a crowd forming around the entrance, so they just waited in the back of the line. 

"So, is this somewhere a lot of people like to go?" Thomas asked. 

"Kind of. Most people go to the bigger amusement parks, but this one is cheaper and less crowded, so there are quite a few people that come here." 

"That makes sense." 

"Did you used to come here with your mom all the time?" 

"Not all the time. We mostly went out to the woods, but we did come here once in a while." John smiled. "She mainly brought me here when she was pregnant with Martha and when she was too little for the woods, then when she was pregnant with the other three.." His smile wavered for a second before coming right back. "It was a good time. She always made sure we were happy." 

"I can tell she was amazing." Alexander kissed his cheek. "Especially since she made a son like you." 

John smiled and pecked his lips. "Thanks." 

He nodded. "I'm only telling the truth." 

"So, what kind of rides are in there?" Thomas asked, giving the pair their space. 

"Just regular carnival rides. Or, I guess fair rides, since you're from New York," he joked, nudging Alexander playfully. 

Alexander smiled. "I never did understand why Northern American and Southern American English was so different. We're the same country."

"Yeah, I guess we're just different. I was so confused by the fact that you guys say pop instead of coke or soda. And the north has completely ruined iced tea for me." 

Thomas nodded. "All very valid points. And, when I used to flirt with girls, I might call one 'sugar' or something like that and she'd talk about how exotic I sounded."

John laughed at that one. "This is why I'm gay."

"That's not how it works, sunshine."

Alexander seemed surprised by John's statement. "Oh my god, I was about to ask how you stopped liking girls." After all, out of their group of friends, John was the only one who wasn't bi or pan. 

"That's not how it works, Alex," John chuckled. 

"I was just making sure." 

He nodded. "Trust me, I've never liked girls that way." He kissed his cheek.

Alexander smiled. "Trust me, you've got it easy."

"I doubt that, but I'm going to take your word for it. Herc said the same thing." He shrugged. Maybe being bi would've made life a bit easier, it would've been a bit easier to hide since he would've been attracted to girls as well, but he liked how he was. He didn't care what his father thought, John knew he was wrong. All that mattered was that he was happy with himself. 


	77. Chapter 77

"Trust me, sunshine, it's no easy path." Especially not with the risks Thomas had made in the past year, namely, the pregnancy scare. John never had to deal with that sort of thing, but it didn't mean he could be reckless. Thomas knew that. "Just stay doing you, okay?"

"I was planning on it. I think I'd be scared if I woke up and realized I liked girls, too. I already have two boyfriends, anything more would be too much for me."

Alexander held his hand. "That just leaves more awesomeness for the two of us. Oh! That reminds me. Thomas and I kind of made up a word for what we are to each other." He grinned like a playful child. "We're boyfrienemies."

John laughed. "Oh my god, what does that even mean?"

Thomas put an arm around his shoulder. "Simple. It means that if we got along, we'd probably be boyfriends. And when it comes to anything besides this relationship, we're rivals. Or, in other words.." he trailed off so John could finish his sentence. 

"Enemies. So you're not quite boyfriends and not quite enemies because you're not quite boyfriends and not quite enemies. Boyfrienemies. I like it." He smiled. "But I can still call you boyfriends, right?"

"Of course you can. You can call me whatever you want, whenever you want, just say the word and my attention is yours." He leaned down and kissed John's cheek.

"And right now, I'm calling you a dorky flirt." He chuckled and playfully pushed him away. "That's Alexander's job. Aren't you supposed to be the suave, romantic one?"

"And attract the attention of anyone besides you? I'd rather be a dork and make you laugh than me suave and make anyone else look in our direction."

John giggled again and punched his arm. "Shut up."

"It's not too hard when you're here, taking my breath away."

"Are you done?"

"Not until it doesn't make you smile anymore."

In that case, it seemed like Thomas would never be able to shut up. In simple terms, he made John smile and he was good at it. There was nothing more, nothing less to it. 

Of course, Alexander had the same power, but in a different way. Thomas flirted a smile onto John's face while Alexander was a bit more subtle in his compliments. Two different techniques from two completely different guys as usual. John had no way of choosing a favorite, he loved them both. 

"Come on, weirdo, the line is moving." He smiled and took a few steps forward, Thomas and Alexander following close behind. 

Thomas stayed behind John. "Can I hug you?" From the front, it would've been alright, but he didn't want to spook John by hugging him from behind, even if he knew exactly who it was. 

"Yeah, it's fine." John smiled and leaned back against Thomas's chest as he hugged him.

Thomas kissed the top of his head and took baby steps with him as the line continued moving. 

Alexander just held his hand, trying to count the freckles that decorated his skin. There were at least 100 on each finger and a few more hundred on the back of his hand, but he kept losing count every time they stepped forward. "You have too many freckles. I swear they keep multiplying," he finally commented as they got close to the front. 

"I think the same thing sometimes. You know the sun makes it worse, right? I get more freckles the more I spend time in the sun."

Alexander nodded and thought for a second before pulling his jacket sleeve up to his wrist, keeping his hand palm down. 

"What are you doing?"

"I love your freckles. Make more."

He smiled. "It doesn't work that way, but I'll get more sunlight, just for you and my freckles."

Alexander kissed the back of his hand. "Good."

John kissed his cheek.  "You're adorable. You know that, right?"

"I have to be something to be anywhere near you."

"You just have to be yourself."

Alexander smiled.

Thomas paid for their tickets and walked inside with them, all of them looking around. 

John grabbed their hands and took them around the carnival, making them ride everything they could, not that either of them were about to complain.

As long as John was happy, they were happy. 

But, eventually, John also got hungry. 

Thomas chuckled and looked around, walking towards a food booth. 

Alexander grabbed John's hand and led him to a table in the meantime, sitting next to him and cuddling up against his side with a content sigh. "I like this... We should go to something like this when we get back to New York."

John shook his head. "It's not the same. Don't you have that one thing from your home that's just not the same anywhere else?"

"Oh my god, the food. We were poor, but my mom could really cook and she made us traditional food all the time. Don't get me wrong, Martha is a great cook, but... I remember she tried to make me some Caribbean food when I first got here and it just wasn't the same. We had our secret spices and fresher seafood."

John nodded. "Exactly. To me, nothing's going to match the woods out here, especially not in New York."

"Yeah. Too much city. There's also this one place I went to in Texas, I don't remember the name, but it was this huge gas station. My old case worker took me there on my way to the airport and gave my five bucks. I came out with an armful of snacks and I still had change. It was amazing."

John grabbed his shoulders and opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, then opened it again. "I was going to say we're going to Texas. Then I remembered how racist and homophobic it can be. But I am totally willing to go to just that gas station and leave the whole state."

Alexander laughed at that. "I feel like you'd love it there. Not the whole state, of course. It was most;y country, from what I saw, but there were a few big cities."

"Sounds about right." He let him go as Thomas came back over with food, nachos for everyone. 

"What are we talking about?"

"An awesome giant gas station in Texas where you can get a lot of snacks for cheap."

"A large slushie was, like, a dollar."

Thomas nodded. "Sounds like fun. Don't they still lynch people in Texas?"

"I assume it's only in a few cities. But I'm not taking the chance without doing my research." John shrugged and began eating. 

"Me neither." He and Alexander began eating their own food as well.

"It's almost noon. Do you want to leave after we eat?" Thomas asked. 

John smiled and shook his head. "I still want to ride the Ferris wheel."

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Are... Are you sure?.." He'd been pretty open in voicing his fears on the structural integrity of almost every ride to John and Alexander. Or, in Alexander's words, he was being a chicken. 

John rolled his eyes playfully. "Hey, it may not have been built by the best engineers of France, but it's been functioning for at least fifteen years."

"I'm not saying anything. I'm just wondering if you think a Ferris wheel is supposed to creak and moan with every inch it moves."

"You've never even been on it." John pouted and gave him puppy dog eyes. "Please? Ride the wheel for me? I promise it'll be lots of fun."

Thomas sighed and smiled, kissing John's cheek. "You're lucky you're so damn adorable."

He smiled and pecked his lips, then kept eating. "Alexander, I'm warning you now, you'd better not rock the cart."

He tutted. "How immature do you think I am?"

"Oh, come on, even I'm tempted by the idea."

Thomas tutted and pulled John against his chest. "You two are a couple of bullies." He kissed the top of John's head. 

"I'm not a bully, I'm just mean." John grinned, leaning his head back and letting Thomas kiss him properly. "And you'd do the same thing if it were Alexander." 

He nodded and let John go. "Yeah, you're right."

Alexander threw a fry at his head. 

"Very mature, Alexander." 

The three finished their food and got in the short line for the Ferris wheel. Most people preferred riding that particular ride at night, when it was lit up. They all sat in the cart, John in the middle, and they were off. 

John smiled and leaned against Thomas, his arm around Alexander's shoulder, pulling him close. 

Not that Alexander was fighting his grip. He leaned into John's side with a content sigh and a smile. "Alright. You were right. This is really nice." He enjoyed the soft breeze that the movement of the wheel was creating, though not nearly as much as he was enjoying being snuggled up under John's arm.

"I know." John held him close and enjoyed the ride. "How are you doing, Thomas? Still afraid we're all gonna die?"

He tutted. "Alright, I'll admit I was wrong. This is really nice." He rested his head on top of John's and smiled, enjoying the rest of the ride. 

All three could agree that the ride felt like it ended too soon, but they went back to the hotel anyways, letting John take a nap before the second night of the art event. The rest of the day went just like the one before, with John going and selling his art and Thomas and Alexander roaming a bit before sitting with him and watching. Luckily, there were no drunk assholes this time to harass John again. 

Alexander stayed awake that time, so they were able to drive John back to the hotel at the end of the night, their freckled boyfriend falling asleep as Thomas drove the car. 

When they got to the hotel, Thomas went around and carefully carried him out, letting him sleep on the way up to the room, Alexander following behind him. He got some clothes from John's bag and gently woke him up. "We're back at the hotel, baby. You have to change into some pajamas, okay?"

John groaned, but sat up and stumbled slightly to the bathroom, changing into the sweatpants and t-shirt before going back to the bed and falling asleep. 

The next day was Thomas's attraction choice, just a few random tours that caught his eye, but he decided on letting them skip them for John's sake. 

"Are you sure? Don't you think he'll feel kind of guilty about it?.."

Thomas shook his head. "I wasn't a big fan of these events to start. I just want to go see what John wants to show us. That's why I picked them for the middle of the week, so that if John was too tired, we could just take the day off."

Alexander nodded in understanding. That was smart. "Alright, then." He kept eating his breakfast and John stayed asleep, a sure sign that he wasn't waking up anytime soon. 

He hardly even stirred in his sleep until noon, making for a total of eleven hours of sleep. He flipped onto his back and stretched before sitting up. 

"Good morning, John," Alexander said softly from across the room, Thomas turning and smiling as he saw him sitting up. "Did you sleep well?"

He nodded. "Too well.. What time is it?.." He grabbed his phone and jumped up as he checked the time. "Oh my god, I'm sorry Thomas, I overslept!"

"Sunshine!" Thomas called, stopping John in his tracks. "It's fine, baby. We're taking the day off. I didn't really want to go to those things in the first place. Let's just spend the day here, alright?"

John frowned. "I'm sorry.. I feel bad." 

"Don't." He went and sat beside John. "I picked these events knowing you'd probably be tired out by today. I know you'd make me pick something, so I just picked the most irrelevant to me. You just rest, okay? There's still a few hours until you have to go."

He sighed. "Okay.."

Thomas kissed his cheek. "The only tours I need are the ones of your favorite places."

John smiled. "And that's what we're doing tomorrow and Friday, whether I'm tired or not." 

"And I'm driving us back Saturday."

He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Alright, fine."

"Good." He smiled. "Go get something to eat, okay?"

"You don't have to tell me twice." He chuckled and got up, going and getting his breakfast. 

As he ate, Alexander stood behind him with his hands on his shoulders, gently massaging his muscles. "You've been working too hard all week. It's Spring Break. You should be relaxing."

"I know, but I've got work to do and I have two amazing boyfriends who take care of me when I'm overworking myself."

He smiled and kissed his base of his neck softly before continuing to massage his shoulders. "And you say I work too hard."

"You do, most of the time. This time, it just happens to be me."

"Speaking of which, have you done the homework for Adams?"

"I did it as soon as we got it. I know, it must be shocking, but I do all of my homework."

He chuckled. "I guess you do." 

John nodded and finished eating, getting up and sitting on the bed. "Let's just watch a movie, if we're not going to go out." He grabbed his laptop and put on Tangled, one of his favorite Disney princess movies. 

Thomas and Alexander gladly joined him, sitting on either side of him and watching the movie quietly, cuddling. 

Thomas even took John's hand and began kissing it, since he wasn't much of a Disney fan, kissing each of his fingers, then the back of his hand, then making his way down his wrist and kissing every faded scar before jumping over to his cheek. 

"Thomas.." John whined. 

"Yes?"

"You're distracting.."

"You're a lot more entertaining than the movie to me."

John smiled a bit at that. "You can kiss me after the movie. It's almost over."

He sighed dramatically. "Alright. I think I can handle waiting for you." He let him be, though he still played with his hair.

Alexander tutted at Thomas's advances on John and shifted so he was sitting in John's lap, leaning against his chest. 

John kissed the top of his head and wrapped his arms around him, holding him close as they watched the rest of the movie. As promised, though, he turned to face Thomas the second the movie ended, grinning a bit. 

Thomas didn't have to be asked twice. He tilted John's head a bit more towards him and kissed him gently.

John put an arm around his shoulders and kissed back, sighing contently. He may not have wanted to go too far with either of them while they were there, but that didn't mean he didn't want the occasional make out session. He only pulled away when Alexander started moving out of his lap and away. "Sorry.." he apologized, slightly breathless. 

"No, it's fine. You guys do your thing." 

John shook his head. "I've given him enough attention for now. Come here, it's your turn." He smiled sweetly. 

Ordinarily, Alexander would've felt a bit awkward about it, but how could he resist that smile? He went over and let John pull him into a kiss, almost immediately melting into it and kissing back, his arms around John's waist and John's around his neck. Then, he suddenly didn't care anymore that Thomas was there. He could do what he wanted to John, but he knew that he could never take him away. Alexander knew that he'd never lose his John, that he'd never get stolen away from him. He smiled slightly into the kiss and pushed things just the tiniest bit further, pushing John back onto the mattress and hovering over him as they kissed. He pulled away for breath a minute and glanced over at Thomas, who was distracting himself with his phone. "Thomas." 

He glanced up and raised an eyebrow as Alexander waved him over, but went over anyways, only understanding what he meant as he pointed at John. "Oh, with pleasure." He leaned down and began kissing him, toying expertly with his bottom lip. 

John began moaning quietly as he did and pulled Thomas down closer, enjoying every minute of it. 

Alexander took note and did the same thing when he was kissing John again, nipping at his bottom lip and sucking on his tongue. About a minute or so later, he pulled away and jumped off, feeling John tense up beneath him. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

John shook his head. "I'm fine.. Um... I just.." He sat up and pulled his knees against his chest, his face dark red. 

"Oh.." Thomas muttered, understanding what happened after a second. 

"This is so embarrassing, I'm sorry.." 

Alexander remained clueless until Thomas brought John a change of pants and boxers. "Oh.. Oh! Um... You don't have to be embarrassed, it happens." 

"All we did was kiss.." John muttered, taking the spare clothes from Thomas.

"Don't worry. It was getting heated. Things happen," Thomas reassured before kissing John's cheek.

He looked over at the time. "I should get changed for tonight." 

Thomas nodded and took back the sweatpants, giving John his dress pants instead. 

"Thanks.." He got up and walked awkwardly to the bathroom, doing his best to hide the wet spot in his pants. 


	78. Chapter 78

"I'm surprised you actually waved me over," Thomas admitted once he was gone. 

"Well... We are both his boyfriends and you just let him kiss me, no problem." 

"Yeah, but that's me. It was big of you to do that for him."

"Thanks." Alexander had a hard time accepting compliments from Thomas, but he could take that one. "And thank you for not taking things too far with John with me right here. I only took things farther because I thought about letting you kiss him, so I figured why not?"

Thomas nodded and sighed, squirming a bit. But it wasn't how John had been squirming beneath Alexander, fighting the urge to get more friction. Thomas seemed uncomfortable in his own skin.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I just... I haven't had a cigarette since Friday.. I usually have one every few days, so it's going to take a bit for me to get over it."

"What, did you forget your pack or something?"

He shook his head. "I threw it away. John doesn't want to see what happened to Martha happen to me, but he didn't want me getting mad at him for asking me. I thought he just didn't like the habit before, but he's scared for me.. I'm not making him see me like that anymore."

"Oh.." Thomas was quitting cold turkey for John, just like how Alexander began eating and taking his medicine for him. "That's really big of you. I know it can be hard to quit like that." 

"Thanks.. I've been doing my best to hide it from him, but withdrawal's been a real bitch. From what I heard, this should be the worst of it, so I'll be fine." His addiction hadn't been too bad, he had been able to handle only having one a day before, but the withdrawal still didn't come without a fight. 

He was able to hide most of his discomfort by the time John was done with his quick shower and was dressed for the event. "Alright, I feel so refreshed after today.. Thanks, guys." He went over and pecked both of them on the lips. "I guess I did need this rest day. But, tomorrow and Friday, I'm taking you to my favorite places, so none of that." He smiled, then turned and left the second that James knocked on the door. 

Again, the event was nothing special for anybody. Just another night of art and exhaustion the second they got back to the hotel. 

The next morning, however, John had taken the liberty of waking up extra early and getting ready while the other two slept, ordering breakfast for them all and setting it out for them before waking them both up. 

First, Thomas. John knelt beside his side of the bed and kissed his cheek. "It's time to get up."

Thomas cracked open his eyes and smiled. "Alright. Only because you asked so nicely." He leaned forward and pecked John's lips before getting up and going to get ready.

John smiled and went to the other side, kneeling beside Alexander. "It's time to get up," he whispered as he ran his fingers through his hair. 

Alexander groaned and turned the other way.

John chuckled and laid in front of him, repeating his actions and kissing his nose. "Come on. Get up."

He turned the other way again. 

"Alright. I didn't want to have to do this." He grabbed Alexander's face carefully, then leaned forward and kissed him passionately.

Alexander's eyes snapped open and he mumbled into the kiss, but didn't even think about fighting it. "Alright, I'm up!" he said as John pulled away. He tutted and sat up, grumbling about John being unfair and going to the bathroom, yelping when he opened the door before slamming it shut again. "Why didn't you tell me he was in there?!" 

John was too busy, laughing on the floor. 

"You're so mean," Alexander whined before throwing himself onto the couch. 

"I hope you enjoyed the show," Thomas teased as he got out of the bathroom. He didn't seem ashamed in the slightest, having enough body confidence for all three of them. 

But Alexander was humiliated. They'd both silently agreed to not actually watch anything that Friday, but, after walking in on him getting dressed, Alexander got an eyeful. "I'm going to go steam my eyeballs," he grumbled as he trudged into the bathroom and got ready. 

"Sorry about that. I should've warned him," John said once he got a hold of himself and went back to the food. 

"It's fine. I don't really care what he sees. We're all guys, it's not like he's never seen anything before."

John shrugged and kept eating.

When Alexander came out, he joined them and ate, now ignoring both John and Thomas. 

"Don't be like that," John teased. "You know I love you. I just kind of forgot."

"I jUsT kInD oF fOrGoT," Alexander mocked, copying the joke perfectly. 

John tutted. "You don't have to meme at me."

"Yes I do! You let me walk in on him changing!" 

John tried to stay serious, but he burst into giggles after another few seconds, Thomas's quiet laughter following soon after. 

Alexander stayed red-faced and he tried to stay angry, but... Well, they weren't laughing at him... And it was kind of silly. A smile slowly grew across his face and, soon after, he was laughing just as hard as the other two were. It was just so ridiculous and he mocked a stupid meme! How could he stay serious after that? How could he stay mad? The simple answer: He didn't. John was forgiven as soon as the laughter started dying down. "You're still a jerk."

"And I came in my pants while we were making out yesterday. I think we're about even." Just like with Alexander, the embarrassment was gone. The event was long over and it didn't seem so awful anymore, just human. "Just eat your breakfast so we can go."

Alexander tutted playfully and did just that, finishing his breakfast.

Once they were all finished, they headed down to Thomas's car and John drove them down to the first place he wanted to show them. 

Where else would he take them besides the city's animal forest? It didn't have too much to offer, but it was more than what John would've been able to see in the wild. He smiled and went inside with Thomas and Alexander after getting everyone a ticket, showing them every animal that he could and spilling out as much information as he could remember from his childhood about each of them. He didn't realize how much he'd actually remembered until he blanked out and just read the rest of the plaques of information out loud. 

After a few exhibits, he stopped and smiled.

"Are you okay?" Alexander asked.

John nodded and turned to them. "Sorry, I just.. I just remembered that this was exactly what I'd do as a kid. I'd challenge myself to memorize all of these facts and tell Martha and my mom as many as I could remember... It's nice to see that that much hasn't changed..." He smiled more and turned around, continuing to walk through and see everything that was there, including a few new animals. 

Still, it was a fairly small place and John did want to go somewhere else, so they were finished with everything there within an hour. 

"That was pretty fast. You must be excited for the next place," Thomas said with a knowing grin. 

"I am! It was my favorite place to visit besides going out into the forest and I've heard that it's grown so much since I was a kid and there's so many new things and I've been dying to see everything, but I don't know if I'll get a chance because of time, but I really hope we do and-"

"John!" Thomas said, chuckling as he cut him off. "You really are excited.. It's a good thing I got us these, then." He showed him passes to the exact place that John wanted to go, plus to every exhibit that needed an extra ticket. 

John gasped and hugged him tightly. "You're the best! I love you! I love you!" 

He smiled and hugged back. "No problem. Alexander helped, you know. He gave me the idea yesterday, before we left to join you at the art event."

He kissed his cheek, then turned to Alexander and squeezed him in a tight hug. "I love you! You guys are the best! You're the best!"

Alexander smiled and hugged back, gladly accepting John's kiss as he began to kiss him lovingly.

When he pulled away, he smiled and grabbed Alexander's hands, then looked back at Thomas. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

Thomas laughed and walked with them to the car, then drove them to the place, afraid that John's excitement would get the best of him. When they got there, he found a pretty close parking spot and walked with them to the entrance of the Charleston Aquarium. 

John had no clear preference over land animals versus sea animals, but the aquarium offered so much more to see than the fish. Of course, that was where they went first, looking at all of the amazing fish exhibits that they had and John taking as many mental pictures as he could, then they moved on to other land species, a few birds, but mainly larger land mammals. There were only a few, but every one was just as amazing as the last to John. 

"Oh my god, a bald eagle," Alexander whispered as they stood in front of it's enclosure. Of course, a bald eagle in an enclosure like that was typically not allowed because it was the national bird, but this particular one had been injured and was being nursed at the aquarium, which was better equipped than the much smaller zoo. 

Alexander took in the moment as the bird sat peacefully, seeing kind of why Americans were so crazy over the bird. It wasn't his favorite species, but it was a rare sight, especially when it came to being able to see one so close up. 

John put his hands around Alexander's waist and looked at the few bird species that were there with him, letting him inform him about them for once. He was just as happy there with him as he was seeing the animals that he'd loved for himself and it showed on his face and the way that he held Alexander close to him like a treasure. 

Thomas simply watched the pair, giving them some distance for the time being. As long as John was happy, he could've taken them bungee jumping and he still would've jumped just to see the bright smile on his face. He knew he'd done a lot of bad in the past, so it was nice to be able to spend this kind of time with John, even with Alexander there. Hell, it was a privilege for him to be able to know John. But the day wasn't over yet. Once he saw Alexander's excitement winding down and noticed that they were both ready to move on, which was basically right after they finished up looking at the birds, Thomas went and grabbed one of John's hands, his other still around Alexander's waist. "Come on, sunshine. There's still a few things we can do." Two more things, in fact. And he was planning on saving the best one for last. 

John nodded and followed him to the next exhibit, one that made his eyes light up like a child. 

Alexander wasn't nearly as keen on the idea, so he stayed back against the wall and watched John and Thomas. 

John went up to the counter and bought some food for the animals, then went to the tank with Thomas and began feeding the stingrays. It was something that he'd always wanted to try, but never got the chance to. The stingrays were in an open tank, like a touch tank, and people could feed them or simply pet them as they swam by. John adored it and happily fed them with Thomas right there, doing the same. 

"They feel kind of weird," he chuckled. 

"Well, they are fish," John pointed out, petting one of the bigger ones as it came by before feeding one of the small ones. "I think this is cool."

"I'll give you that. This is pretty cool." He smiled and kept an arm around John's waist as he stood with him, keeping him close. 

Alexander sighed and watched them. He knew it was inevitable that he'd always be at least the slightest bit jealous of Thomas, but he swore that he was not going to let it rule him. He was not going to let it become some huge problem. Because John loved him too, he knew that. He had no reason to be so awful to either of them for something he should've been a bit better at controlling. And he loved John. He knew he put John through a lot in such little time, he knew he was lucky to still be able to call John his boyfriend, so he wasn't going to take advantage of it anymore. He wasn't going to take John for granted and he certainly wasn't going to let petty feelings ruin their relationship. He was just going to do what he could. And what he could do was be the best boyfriend he could be. 

Once they ran out of food and John made sure that he pet every stingray at least once, he let Thomas lead him away from the pool and they both cleaned their hands, just as they had before playing with the fish.

"Alright. One more thing, then we can go get lunch, then get ready." They were cutting it a bit close on time, but it seemed to be a mutual agreement that it was worth it. "Are you ready to go see?"

John nodded so fast, Thomas was almost afraid that his head would pop off.

He chuckled and kissed his forehead. "Good. Because I saved the best for last." He took his hand and began walking with him, Alexander following close behind and holding John's other hand. 

The second that they got to the last exhibit, John felt excitement bubbling inside of him, but he didn't even think about yanking away from his boyfriends. Yes, he was excited, but he didn't want them thinking they'd lost their importance. After all, he wouldn't have been there without them. 

Thomas and Alexander gave each other a mutual look of agreement before letting go of John's hands and letting him bounce towards the huge sea turtle tank and the sea turtle hospital right beside it.

He stopped at the tank first and watched the majestic creature inside swimming around. It was absolutely gorgeous to him and he felt his heart melting every time she turned and faced him, squealing as she seemed to wave at him. After a few minutes, he switched to looking at the hospital, watching the poor creatures being cared for. 

One of the many employees saw him staring intently and smiled before going to him, answering his every question and telling him about every patient that was in the care of the hospital at the moment. 

"So, are you thinking about becoming a vet or a marine vet?"

He shook his head. "I thought about it when I was a kid, but I'm planning on becoming a teacher. I love animals and I'll definitely find a way to interact with them, like maybe I'll work at the zoo back home during the summers or on the weekends or something, but I'm set on teaching."

He nodded. "That's not bad. You just seem like you really know a thing or two about these big guys. And you seem to have a way with the animals." He pointed behind John, showing him that the turtle was eyeing him curiously as she swam around. 

He chuckled. "Yeah, I've always been good with animals.. I don't know, maybe I'll reconsider it." He shrugged. 

"So, are you from around here? I've never seen you around here before."

"I was raised here, but I've been in New York for years. I'm just back here for an art event."

"Oh, that's a real shame. I was hoping we'd get to know each other a bit better.. Maybe give you a private tour of the place?"

John began to catch on to what the guy meant, but hoped he was joking and lightly laughed it off. "That's funny.. You're kind of old for me." The guy was at least thirty. 

"Oh, come on. Age is just a number. And you won’t be young forever, you know. You should take advantage of it while you can.”

John took an uncomfortable step backwards and felt himself being pulled against a short person. He looked over his shoulder and saw Alexander glaring daggers at the guy, Thomas right beside him. 

“If you don’t mind, I think we’ll be moving on now. Are you ready to go, hon?” he asked John. 

He nodded and gladly walked with Alexander and Thomas, the latter making a phone call and reporting that worker as soon as they got back to the car, trying to make sure John didn’t have to hear it. 

“Thanks, guys...” he muttered as Thomas began driving. 

“Of course. He shouldn’t have been talking to you that way,” Thomas stated, making a mental note to apologize to Lafayette again for what he did in the past. 

John sighed, then smiled a bit. “I still had fun.. Other than that creep, I really did have a great day here with you guys.” 

“And we’re glad to hear that.” Thomas smiled. 

“He’s right. As long as you’re happy, we’re happy.” Alexander leaned forward and kissed John’s cheek before sitting back down, letting Thomas drive. 


	79. Chapter 79

When they got back to the hotel, it was a quick and rehearsed routine of John getting ready and getting dressed, leaving with James, and Thomas and Alexander getting ready a bit after he’d left. Luckily, John managed to make it out with him on time and Thomas and Alexander were able to just sit and wait for a bit before having to leave. 

“So, how are you feeling about all of this now? You’re not planning on running out on us again, are you?”

Alexander rolled his eyes, but shook his head. “No.. John helped me through that. I’m not running away again.”

“Good. Because John really does care for you and I care for him. I wouldn’t want to break his heart in order to save it.”

“So... You’re really not trying to take John for yourself?.. But.. You said you wanted me gone.”

He tutted. “Past tense. And I said that I’d like for John to drop you, but I’d never make him. I said if he did drop you, it’d be all on you. I was never planning on trying to take John from you like that.”

“Oh..” Alexander muttered. “I guess I should apologize, then... I didn’t realize how much you actually changed since then..”

Thomas shook his head. “Don’t apologize. If I’m being honest, I may have made your little episode back then seem worse than you actually are to John. Not on purpose, I was just pissed. I don’t get how you can just run out on him like that. He clearly loves you, so what was your deal?”

“He clearly loves you, too.. We’ve been over this..”

“Yeah, we have. I’m still wondering why that translates to you having to run, not you talking to John about getting rid of me. It was your call in the first place. You clearly have power.”

Alexander sighed. “It’s personal...”

Thomas frowned and leaned towards him. “Alexander... Look at me.” He waited until he actually had his attention before continuing. “You know about John’s mom. You know about his dad. You know what he went through for his siblings and... and because of me.. You also know that my parents are divorced. You know about my mom’s shit boyfriend. You know what I’m going through to take care of Lucy. All I know about you is you came from some island in the Caribbean. What sense does it make that you know all that about John, all that about me, and we know nothing about you?..”

He frowned and looked down for a second, then looked back up at Thomas. “You’re serious about us, aren't’ you?..”

He nodded. “I’ll admit, I only really love John, but we’re both in this for the long run. If you are too, the least I can do for you is be your friend.”

Alexander sighed. “Of course I’m in this for the long run.. I’m here for John and I always want to be here for John.. He’s helped me so much..” He thought for a few seconds before nodding. “I can talk about it with you both... I’ll do it when John’s around, I promise.”

“Good. And I’m not just trying to get you to spill your guts. You have to learn to trust us. Me and John.”

“I trust John..” he muttered. “It’s complicated and I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I trust him..”

Thomas nodded a bit and checked the time, still not sure whether or not he could believe him. “We should get going..”

“Okay..” Alexander got up and followed him out of the hotel room. 

They got in Thomas’s car and went to the event, as usual, acting like nothing was wrong. Acting like their conversation never happened. But they both knew it was going to come up and that it was one of them who was going to initiate it. What they weren’t completely sure on was who that was going to have to be. John, of course, didn’t catch on, something that they were both grateful for. He seemed happy as ever, selling his art and discussing possibilities of scholarships from certain schools or certain organizations. He was happy. That was all that mattered. 

The next morning, everyone got up fairly early and got ready for the day, planning on getting breakfast on the way to the final destination of their vacation. 

John was still the first up, as usual. He took a quick shower and changed into a baggy hoodie and cargo shorts. 

“Pockets don’t stop them from being a fashion disaster, sunshine.”   
“Maybe not, but they’re comfortable and useful. What are you wearing on the trip? Skinny jeans and your finest t-shirt?” John argued back, Alexander getting ready and Thomas bickering with him from across the bed. 

“You’re better than cargo shorts. That’s all I’m saying. And, for your information, I was planning on wearing regular jeans, like a normal person.”

John snorted at that. “Did you pack any shorts?”

“It’s not even that hot.”

“Trust me, it will be. Just wear some of those basketball shorts that you’ve been using as pajamas.”

He tutted. “Alright, fine. If you insist, master of the outdoors.” He chuckled and got up as Alexander got out of the bathroom.

John rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at him, just barely making it through the door as he shut it.

Thomas laughed and opened the door again, throwing the pillow back outside. 

Alexander raised a curious eyebrow and brought the pillow back to the bed. “What did I miss?”

“Thomas was not built for the outdoors. He has no idea how to dress for the outside world.”

He smiled. “I could’ve told you that.” Of course, Alexander was smarter than that and was wearing a simple tank top and denim shorts. 

“You’re right.” He kissed his cheek and waited with him for Thomas to get out of the bathroom.

Once he was ready, they all went down to his car and John drove them out to the forest trails, getting food on the way. They ate in the car, then got out and put on sunscreen and bug spray. 

“Alexander, just because you’re from the Caribbean, that doesn’t mean you’re immune to the sun.” 

He tutted and let John put sunscreen on his face. “Killjoy. Now I’m going to feel all greasy.”

“And you won’t be sunburnt. Trust me, that is a lesson I learned the hard way as a child.” He smiled and gave him the bottle. “You do the rest. Come on.”

“Alright, fine.” 

John waited for his two childish boyfriends to finish before taking them on the trails. “This was where my mom used to take us all the time, more than anywhere else. And it was always my favorite..” He smiled and took in the fresh air, cleaner than it ever was in New York. 

Alexander smiled and walked beside him, holding his hand. “This is where you saw all of those animals, right?”

“Yeah.. That was one of my favorite parts, seeing the animals here with her. We had to stop when Martha was a baby, but we started coming back when she was two for a bit..” Only for a little bit. Because his mom did get pregnant again only months after Martha was able to join them in the forest. 

Thomas looked around. He was never really one for the outdoors, which was clear to everyone around him, but he was willing to go out there and try to enjoy it for John. He tied his hair back and kept walking, not wanting to get anything caught in it. He almost bumped into Alexander as he did, too busy with his hair to pay attention to what had been happening in front of him. And thank god he caught himself in time. 

John was crouching down, wild berries that he’d been picking in hand, feeding a skunk. He smiled as it began eating and slowly moved his other hand to pet it, letting it be sure that he wasn’t a threat. 

Alexander smiled widely and took pictures, careful to make sure that his phone wouldn’t make any sound. He knew what a skunk was and what it could do, of course, but it excited him to see one so close and with John feeding it! 

Thomas... wasn’t as keen to the idea. He slowly took a step back after he saw it, making absolutely no noise so he wouldn’t spook it and make John pay for his mistake. How John so good around animals, he couldn’t help but wonder. And especially around animals like skunks, which could effectively ruin the nest couple of weeks of his life. It was kind of amazing... But mostly worrying. But he didn’t say anything about it until the striped creature was gone. “How are you so calm around those things? Or anything around out here?”

John shrugged. “I like animals, animals like me. And skunks don’t spray unless scared. I don’t really have a reason to worry.” He got up and kept walking, looking around at the vaguely familiar sights. He couldn’t recognize each tree exactly, but he could remember the way the trail twisted and every turn that was in it. He smiled and walked silently, holding Alexander’s hand and occasionally stopping to let him take a picture or two.

Alexander took as many pictures as he could without bothering John or raising any suspicions. He’d been doing the same thing all week with the same effect, after all. It really would’ve been the worst if John had caught onto what he was doing right then. 

But John was hardly paying attention to that. He was more focused on the river that they came across. He smiled widely and looked down both ends before pulling Alexander down one way with him, Thomas trailing behind. He only stopped when he reached the end of it, a fairly short waterfall. 

“Did we go the wrong way?” Alexander asked, yelling over the sound of rushing water. 

John shook his head. “No! This was exactly what I was looking for!” He let go of Alexander’s hand and smiled, pointing at the bottom. “It’s a manmade lake, but it’s my favorite part about here! I almost forgot about it because I didn’t know how to swim when I was a kid, but I do now!”

It took Alexander a few seconds to put together what John was saying. “If you jump, I’m not following!”

“Who’s the killjoy now?” John teased before heading behind a tree. He stripped down to his boxers and left his clothes there before running and diving over the side of the cliff, cannonballing into the water below him. 

Alexander watched, exasperated. He went behind the tree and picked up John’s clothes, then went around and found a trail he could use to get down to the lake.

“Alex, wait!” Thomas called to him, following John’s lead. He wasn’t an outdoors kind of guy, but this was too much fun to just pass up. He jumped into the lake behind John, landing a few feet away from him. 

Alexander tutted and went back for his clothes, then went down to the bottom. He stripped down to his underwear, just like the other two, and walked into the water like a sane person, swimming over to John and Thomas.

“Oh, come on. You have to admit this is kind of cool,” John teased, swimming over to him and kissing his cheek.

Alexander couldn’t help but smile the tiniest bit. “Alright. This is pretty cool.” 

“Exactly!” John put his hair up into a bun and swam around. The water was clean and fresh, it mainly served as a source of water for the animals when there weren’t teenagers swimming around in it, so it stung John’s eyes a bit as he opened them beneath the water, but not enough to stop him. 

Thomas followed him beneath the surface of the water and tried to go after him, his eyes a bit more irritated by the freshwater, but John seemed to be too fast for him. He eventually gave up and went back up to the surface, where Alexander was still watching them act like dorks, smiling at the sight. 

“John’s too fast for you?”

“On land or on water, that has always been his strong point,” Thomas shrugged, wiping the water from his face. 

Alexander chuckled, smiling as John surfaced beside them. “Finally felt like joining us mortals, Aquaman?”

John smiled and splashed him. “Shut up, I just like swimming. And I’ve never been swimming in this lake, just a little bit of getting my feet wet when I was little.”

“Well, you’re here now. Enjoy it.” He wiped the water off of his face, then kissed his cheek. 

“I am, don’t worry. Come swim with me.” He took Alexander’s hands and took him out to the deeper water, stopping when he felt Alexander’s grip on his hands get tighter. “Are you okay?..”

“Um.. can.. Can we go back to the shallow water?..”

John nodded, a concerned expression on his face. “Yeah, of course we can.” He swam back with him, keeping a distance from Thomas. “What’s wrong?..”

He took a deep breath. “Just... Bad memories.. From when I was a kid..”

“Do you want to get out of the water? We can go ahead and head back to the hotel, I’ve had enough fun.”

Alexander hesitated before nodding. “Yes, please..”

“Okay..” He waded through the lake and over to Thomas. “Hey, are you ready to go?”

“As soon as I can get my clothes on, yeah.” He got out of the water with the other two and all three shook the water off as best as they could before getting dressed. Once they were dressed, they went back to Thomas’s car and drove to the hotel, going up to their room and getting ready. 

John was the first to do so, as usual, and spent a bit longer than usual in the shower, making sure his hair was completely clean. When he was done, he pulled his hair back into a neat bun, just as he had been, and got dressed. He took a deep breath, nervous about the final day as he had been on the first, and went out to his boyfriends. “How do I look?”

They both looked over and felt their jaws dropped. Sure they’d been seeing John in a suit all week, but... there was just something so different about seeing him in a tuxedo, something so surreal, that they couldn’t take their eyes off of him.

He smiled and blushed lightly at the attention. “I’m taking that as a good thing?..”

“Better than good. You look great, sunshine. You’re going to wow everyone there.” He got up and helped John straighten his tie before kissing his forehead and going to the restroom to get ready. 

Alexander was still frozen, not knowing what to say. What was he supposed to say to his dashing boyfriend? “I don’t deserve you,” was all he managed to get out.

John rolled his eyes a bit at that and sat beside him. “I hate when you say that.. Of course you deserve me. You and Thomas are the best boyfriends a guy could ask for.” He smiled and leaned forward, kissing him softly. 

Alexander smiled into it and returned the kiss. For John and Thomas, kissing was more for communication, but for him and Alexander, it was pure affection and both loved every second of it. Alexander reached a hand up and cupped John’s cheek, his other hand holding John’s and keeping him close.

John sighed contently into the kiss and put his free hand on Alexander’s shoulder, not caring about how cold he felt under his warm touch, and pulling himself that much closer. There was nothing heated about the kiss and it didn’t escalate into something that was. It was simple, sweet affection, a way to show each other how much they truly cared. And it took up their entire world until they were interrupted by a knock at the door. 

Alexander tutted, breathless from the kiss. “I’ll see you at the event.”

“Okay.. I’ll see you there.” He smiled and pecked Alexander’s lips before leaving with James. 

Alexander smiled and waited for Thomas to come out of the bathroom before going in himself and getting ready. He sighed a bit. Thomas brought a tuxedo for that night too.. Alexander would be the one sticking out like a sore thumb and the idea made him cringe. He wished John had told him how to dress... No, he had... He wished that he knew that Thomas was planning on matching with John that day. All he had was the black suit he’d worn earlier that week. He tutted and just finished taking his shower, then got dressed. 


	80. Chapter 80

When he got out, Thomas looked at him up and down before letting out a quiet, disapproving hum. 

“What’s that supposed to mean? It worked fine before, it’ll work fine now.”

Thomas shrugged. “I don’t know. Me and John are dressed up.. It’ll just look off if you show up in that.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t make us coordinate outfits before this trip,” he spat out. 

Thomas sighed. “You don’t have to get snappy with me. All I’m saying is you’d look better and you’d fit in if you wore this, instead.”

Alexander opened his mouth to yell, but stopped as Thomas held up a hanger... With a tuxedo... That looked to be his size.

Thomas smiled at his expression. “Are you going to wear it or not?”

“How did you..”

“I brought Hugh and Sarah a tuxedo that was a bit bigger than you are and asked them to tailor it to your size. It’s one of my old ones, but I doubt that’ll be a problem since so is the one that John’s wearing.”

Alexander shut up for once. Here he was again, doing something that he didn’t have to. He was never one to be easily bought over, hell, it didn’t work when anyone did it most of the time, but... This seemed to be Thomas’s way of showing that he cared. Maybe Thomas actually meant it when he said he wanted to be friends... And, with time, maybe they could be... But, if that was ever going to happen, Alexander knew that he was going to have to start trying, too. “Thank you..”

“No problem.” He got up and gave him the outfit. 

“Um.. Can you... Can you fix my hair?..” He had it in it’s usual messy bun. “I want to look good for John...”

Thomas chuckled. “Your hair is fine, Alexander. Mine is just as messy as yours and so is John’s.”

“You know that’s not true..”

“Alright, fine. If you really want me to, I can help you fix it up a bit.”

“Thanks..” He smiled a bit and got changed, then came back to Thomas with a hairbrush and his usual hair tie, sitting in front of him on the floor as he sat on the bed. 

Thomas brushed Alexander’s hair out, surprised at how few knots he found. Alexander’s hair looked a lot messier than it really was. He brushed it up into a ponytail when he was finished and used the hair tie, winding it up and around into a messy bun. “I have an idea. Here, hold this as it is.”

Alexander did as he asked, holding his hair in place as Thomas got up and went through his bag, pulling out a bag of hair supplies. 

He went back to his place behind Alexander and pulled out a dark, green hair ribbon from the bag, using it to tie up Alexander’s hair, finishing his bun. “There we go. Green looks good on you.”

“Thanks..” He smiled and got up. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yep. Let’s go.” Thomas smiled and left with Alexander. He wasn’t lying when he said that all he wanted with him was from him was friendship, but, for their relationship, just friendship was going to be almost vital in getting it to work and he knew Alexander didn’t still really like him. Hell, he couldn’t blame him. But all that meant to him was that he was going to have to work harder to gain his trust, to be his friend. 

The pair got into Thomas’s car and he drove them to the event, which was fairly empty, seeing as it was the most exclusive day. Hell, it had taken quite a bit of asking for John to get those two in there. So, it wasn’t hard for them to find his booth that day.

John smiled as he saw them and smiled a bit more as he focused on Alexander. “You look great, babe. I didn’t know you were wearing a tux.”

“I wasn’t... It’s a gift from Thomas, he said yours was too..”

He nodded and looked down at himself. “Yeah, but Hugh and Sarah did a great job fitting it for me.”

“Don’t they always?”

“Can’t argue with you there.” John smiled. “So, are you guys going to stand around here like usual or are you going to actually look at something else?”

“Why would we go anywhere else when the true artwork is here showing his off?”

He rolled his eyes and blushed. “Nice one, Romeo. Seriously, are you?”

Thomas shrugged. “I’m alright either way.” He looked down at Alexander for a final answer. “What do you say, shortstuff?”

He tutted. “Don’t call me short,” he grumbled. “I guess we can look around for a bit, but I want to come back to John’s soon..”

“Yeah, of course. Let’s give him his space for now.” Thomas smiled and waved at John before leaving with Alexander. 

"I thought you said those two weren't getting along?" James asked. 

John shrugged. "They weren't.. Things are definitely different between those two.." He smiled as he watched them walking. Just a week ago, the two hated the idea of being in the same room when it didn't involve John. Now, they were walking around by themselves, willingly and voluntarily. Things were looking up. John wasn't going to mess with it. 

Alexander nudged Thomas as they were out of John's range of sight. "Hey.. Can you quit it with the comments on my height? I know I'm short, I don't need you-"

"Consider it done. You don't ave to explain, you just had to ask."

He nodded. "Thanks.."

"No problem." He looked around at the art that was there was on display with him. "Any other little things?"

"No, I'm alright now. What about you?.."

"I hate how you keep these things in. Like, I get it, I'm afraid to lose John too, but you can't just keep this in for the sake of not hurting him and not think about the odds of you hurting him that way."

Alexander frowned. "I'm trying, alright? Isn't that enough?"

"Yeah, I guess," he said with a shrug. "But you can't blame me for being upset with all of the bad that ends up happening."

"You can't pin it all on me.." 

"And you can't pin as much on John as you think. Or on me. I've done nothing to get rid of you. I know that I'm on much thinner ice than you and I'm lucky to even be in this position. You are the one who gave him permission for this and who keeps all of your feelings in until you can't stop yourself from hurting anyone."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Alexander decided. 

Thomas nodded. "Fine. But I want a reason. I don't want you just keeping it in. You won't hurt my feelings and I own't hurt you or anything."

Alexander sighed. This was a difficult step, but maybe he was right... "I feel attacked when you talk to me like that. Don't you think I know what I do? Don't you think I know how I'm hurting John?"

"That's fair. I guess I'm just a bit pissed that you get let off so easy."

"I can't control what I do when I get like that. John gets it and we're both working to help me get better. When you talk to me like that, all I want to do is gouge out your eyes and make you shut up." Thomas did say he wanted him to be honest.

"Alright. I'll try to stop being so condescending about it."

"Thank you.."

"Just son't expect me to get it all at once.. You know I still have that bit of bully in me and I guess I've been directing it at you. To be honest, I wasn't sure that I cared about you a week ago and it wouldn't have made any difference to me if you had stayed or burned in hell."

Alexander opened his mouth to yell at him. How dare he say that after saying that he wanted to be friends? How dare he when he just talked about Alexander hurting people? 

"I'm not done. Now, I kind of care about you a bit more. As a friend. And I need to learn to redirect my anger at somewhere that isn't a person. You and John do it, I can do the same."

And with that, Alexander shut his mouth for a few seconds. "Um... Thanks..."

"It's the least I can do. Do you actually want to keep looking around? Or is there anything you want to talk about?"

"No.. I just want to go back and watch John."

"Alright. Let's go." He walked with him back to John's table and sat beside Alexander, watching their mutual boyfriend do what he did best and charm the pants off of people, getting them to buy his art. 

Still, as good as he was and as hard as he was working, it took a lot out of him. Thomas had to carry him upstairs to their room, not that he was complaining, and he got John into pajamas while Alexander changed in the bathroom.

Just as he finished slipping a shirt over his head, John began to stir. He looked up at Thomas with sleepy eyes and smiled. 

"Hey.. Thank you.." He sat up and finished getting the shirt on himself.

"No problem." Thomas kissed his cheek and got changed into his own pajamas before sitting beside John and laying down with him. 

John smiled and pecked his lips, turning around as Alexander joined them and holding his other arm out for him.

Alexander smiled and laid with them, earning a passionate kiss from John. He quickly melted into the kiss and wrapped his arms around his waist, ignoring the fact that his fingertips brushed against Thomas's shirt as he did. Thomas being there didn't matter. He was still his John, even if he was also Thomas's John. What mattered was that he still loved Alexander and, as the kiss proved, he did.

John smiled and moved his hands from around Alexander's neck, putting them at his hips instead. 

Alexander pulled away a bit. "What are you doing?.."

"Sorry.. I can stop." He began moving his hands back up his to his chest, but Alexander stopped him. 

"We can keep going.. With Thomas, of course."

John smiled and leaned forward, kissing him again. 

Thomas wrapped his arms around John's waist and kissed the back of his neck, all three slowly advancing through their make-out session until their clothes were scattered and they spent the next few hours loving each other. 

Afterwards, it was just like last time. Alexander went to the bathroom and took a shower while Thomas took care of John, cleaning him off with a washcloth and kissing his skin. 

"I'm proud of you, you know... You don't let your past fears control you and that's really huge. You're so brave.." He kissed a spot on his stomach and smiled. 

"Thank you.. I couldn't be able to do this if it wasn't you and Alexander with me.. You guys just make me feel so safe." 

Thomas leaned up and kissed him softly before getting rid of the dirty washcloth and dressing John in warm pajamas, laying back down with John until Alexander came out of the bathroom. "I'll let you be." He pecked his lips, then went to the bathroom. 

Alexander laid down with John and wrapped his arms around his waist, pecking his lips. "Hi.. I wish I knew how to take care of you like he did..."

"You take care of me in your own way. I love when you take care of me after sex, too.."

"I know.. He's just better at it right now.. But I'll learn how to do it better, just for you." He pecked his lips again. 

John kissed back and smiled. "You're great. You know you don't need to change for me, right?"

"I know, but I want to be better for you.."

"And I want to be better for you. I promise I'll give you more attention once we get back home.. I know I said I would and I haven't, but I will. You're an amazing boyfriend and you deserve my attention." He kissed his forehead and cuddled him close. "I love you.."

"I love you too.." He smiled and fell asleep with him. 

John kissed the top of his head and ran his fingers through his hair, smiling gently. Alexander was so sweet to him and he always tried his best to make him happy... Even if it didn't always turn out right. John loved him all the same, though and he knew that Alexander loved him back. He still had trouble understanding Alexander's anxieties, but he supposed it was just something he never could understand. After all, John was poly. It was just like the way that he couldn't understand why people liked girls. He couldn't understand why people thought polyamory was so wrong. And he couldn't understand why Alexander had a hard time understanding that John loved them both evenly. But things were as they were. He was just going to have to keep trying to show him that. 

Thomas came out of the bathroom a few minutes later and laid behind John, kissing his cheek. "Go to sleep, sunshine.." 

John nodded and shut his eyes, falling asleep. 

In the morning, Thomas was the first to wake up. He gathered everyone's things together and packed them up, staying as quiet as he could. He would've done it for John any day, letting him have that much more rest, but, for Alexander... Well, he wanted to try and get along with him. This was a start.

Once he was done, he ordered breakfast for all of them and quietly woke up Alexander, shaking him a bit. "Come on, wake up," he whispered. 

Alexander groaned and buried his face into John's chest. 

"Alex, come on." He tried again.

Alexander tutted and glanced up at him, half glaring. "What?.."

"Breakfast. Come on." He nodded towards the table of food.

Alexander nodded and sat up, his hair looking like a bird's nest. He yawned and got up, going to the table and eating. 

Thomas chuckled and knelt down beside John, waking him up more gently. He grabbed one of his hands and kissed it, sitting beside him. "Wake up, sunshine.. The three of us have a long day ahead of us.."

John squeezed his hand, but kept his eyes shut, smiling slightly. 

"Come on.. The sooner you get up, the sooner you can eat breakfast and get ready so we can head home and see Lucy and Susan again."

That got John up. He sat up and stretched, leaning up and pecking Thomas's lips before going to the bathroom and taking a quick shower, then sitting and eating breakfast. 

Alexander held his hand under the table and smiled, all three of them eating fairly quietly together. 

"I'm so not ready to go back to school," Thomas tutted. 

"Is anyone ever ready to go back to school?" John asked. 

"I guess you're right." Thomas smiled and shrugged. "What about you, Alex?"

"I don't want to go.. I just want to stay home and play video games or stay with John." He pouted and squeezed John's hand.

He smiled and kissed his hand. "Look at it this way, we have just under three more months until we never have to go back to high school, just college." 

"I guess that makes things better." Alexander squeezed his hand and smiled lightly. "I get to live with you in a dorm."

He nodded. "Let's hope that Laf won't be too upset that I won't share one with him."

"He's got Herc. I'm sure he'll be alright," Thomas shrugged. 

"What about you, then?" John asked. 

"I can get my own dorm. Maybe this is what we can all spend tomorrow doing, besides sleeping. We can just look at all of the colleges we applied for and see what we got accepted to. We can try to figure out where we can go, assuming that we find one we all want to go to."

"Yeah, that sounds cool. It's not like we have that much to do tomorrow." 

"It's settled, then."

Once they finished eating, John got up to pack his things. 

"Not necessary. All of your things are already packed and in the car, besides your soap and stuff." He knew that John wasn't going to change after wearing an outfit just the once, so he didn't bother taking another one out for him, just leaving out what he needed for his shower. 

John smiled, pleasantly surprised. "Oh, thank you.."

He nodded and looked at Alexander. "Your stuff, too. We just have to check out and go."

Alexander was just as surprised, even if it wasn't as pleasantly. Thomas actually did that for him?.. "Thanks.."

"No problem." He finished his food, leaving just Alexander to do the same. Once he did, the three headed down to the lobby and checked out, John carrying what was left of his stuff in his backpack and tossing it into the trunk before they left. 

That time, John insisted on taking the first driving shift and Thomas let him after a few minutes of arguing and after John stole the keys and got in the driver's seat before he could stop him. So, he was the one who drove them for the first few hours before getting food and stopping at a rest stop. 

Thomas stole the keys and took his turn driving, only taking a few hours that time before switching with John again. 

It went that way until they got to Alexander's house to pick up Lucy. They all got out of the car and went to the door, Alexander opening it and letting them inside. John smiled and went with Thomas up to Lafayette's room while Alexander stayed downstairs and went to talk to Martha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help out a broke college student, you can ask for commissions at slashgashotaku@gmail.com. I also do free requests.


	81. Chapter 81

“Hey, Martha,” he greeted as he found her in the kitchen. “I’m back from South Carolina. Everyone’s here upstairs, getting Lucy.”

She smiled widely and went to hug him. “I missed you so much. Did you guys have fun?”

“We did. It was really cool seeing John’s home town and all of the places he went to as a kid.”

“That’s wonderful. So..” She glanced up for a second before looking back down at Alexander, a bit more serious. “How are things going with Thomas?.. He isn’t making you do anything, is he?”

He shook his head. “No, he’s actually trying to be my friend, I think.. It is weird after all that happened, but I think he’s serious..”

“Okay.. Don’t you let him make you do anything, do you understand me?”

“I understand, Martha,” he chuckled. “I think we’ll be fine.”

“Good.” She kissed his forehead. “Now, go tell John to get down here so I can get a hug. George is out of town on a meeting, but he’ll be back soon.”

Alexander nodded and went upstairs.

Lafayette had just been trying to get Lucy to bed, but she refused, insisting that Thomas and her Johnny were coming for her and she wanted to see them. What a perfect time for those exact two people to swoop in.

“Tommy! Johnny!” She launched off of Lafayette’s bed and let them catch her, hugging them both tightly. “I knew you were coming back for me now! Mr Lafayette wanted me to sleep, but I didn’t want to because I wanted to see you.”

Thomas kissed her cheek. “We’re home. Were you good for Lafayette?”

She nodded quickly. “I was!”

Lafayette smiled. “She was. How was your trip?”

“It was great, actually.” John smiled. “I’ll tell you all about it later. For now, it’s time to get this little girl home.”

“John, Martha wanted to say hi to you.”

He nodded and left the room.

Alexander stepped into Lafayette’s room as Thomas stepped out with Lucy and her bag. “Hey, Laf..”

“Hello. Did you three have fun?”

“Yeah, it was cool. And I’ve been thinking.. I was a real dick to you before and you didn’t really deserve that. You were just trying to be nice..”

“You don’t need to apologize. I understand, you didn’t like people. I was just hoping you’d come around eventually.”

“No, it was more than that. I was a bully and that’s not cool, especially since you were so cool the whole time.. So I’m going to find a way to make it up to you. I don’t know ow yet, but I will.”

Lafayette smiled and stepped forward, pulling Alexander into a hug. “Thank you.. It means a lot to hear you say that, but you really don’t need to do anything.”

“But I’m going to. Thank you for being a good brother..”

“Anytime.” He let him go.

Alexander smiled and looked down as he felt pressure against his legs, finding little Rosie pawing at his legs. “What, no clawing through my clothes?” he asked jokingly.

Lafayette picked her up. “I had to keep her claws clipped as short as I could with Lucy around, but she wasn’t a fan, so this is what I ended up with.” He held up one of her paws and showed Alexander the white, rubber covers on her claws. “I bought them online and put them on her. This way, she doesn’t scratch anyone.”

“Oh, that’s cool.” He poked her paw, making her mewl.

Lafayette chuckled. “Yes it is. It’s a humane alternative to getting her declawed.”

“What do you mean humane? What’s the problem with just getting her declawed?”

“It’s not just cutting off her nails. The human equivalent is cutting off your fingers to the first knuckle to stop you fingernails from growing.”

“Oh.. Ouch..”

He nodded. “A lot of cats live in pain afterwards and those who are abandoned, like Aaron’s cat was, from what I heard, are left without a way to defend themselves or climb anything to escape.. These fall off after a few weeks, but it’s not too hard for me to get them on her.”

“Laf, you could jump out of a plane and she’d come with you.”

He chuckled. “She’s a sweetheart to me.. What can I say?” He shrugged and put her down, letting her go back to bed.

“I’m going to go with John now. I’ll see you later.”

“Okay. I’ll keep feeding your turtle.”

“Thanks..” He smiled and went downstairs, waiting for John in the car with Thomas and Lucy.

“Are you Tommy’s boyfriend?”

“No, we’re just friends..”

“Are you Johnny’s boyfriend?”

“Yeah..” He smiled.

She pouted. “No fair. I want a boyfriend..”

“We went over this, Lucy,” Thomas argued. “Boys are gross.”

“I want a prince, like Johnny.”

“And you’ll find one. Everyone has their prince or princess out there. They find them once their old enough,” Alexander assured.

“I want to be old enough now…”

“Trust me, Lucy. Boys can be trashy,” Thomas told her. “I promise you’ll find yourself a prince or a princess when you’re old enough, okay sweetness?”

“Okay…”

John got in the car a few minutes later and they drove back to the apartments, all spending the night in John’s apartment on John’s bed. Lucy was snuggled between Thomas and John and Alexander was curled up against John’s free side. They were all exhausted. And they almost looked like a family all together.

John had that thought as he woke up in the morning, smiling. He kissed everyone on the cheek and sat up, putting a pillow wall between Alexander and Thomas and Lucy. He giggled as Alexander claimed a pillow as his own to hold and Lucy curled up against Thomas, then got up and put the blanket over all of them before going to the kitchen and making breakfast, pondering over the miracle that was all four of them even fitting in John’s twin sized bed.

As he cooked, he heard someone coming into the kitchen and smiled as he saw that it was Alexander, letting him drag himself over and attach himself to his waist, his face pressed into his back.

“Stop leaving me.. I need someone to cuddle..” He stood on his toes and kissed the back of John’s head, scrunching up his nose. “That’s not your face..”

He smiled and turned around, wrapping his arms around his waist. “I’m right here.”

He leaned up and kissed him again. “Better..”

“Good.” He smiled. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.. I thought your hair was your face, though.”

“Aw, does someone need glasses?” he teased.

“Hope not,” he tutted and leaned his head against John’s chest.

John smiled and kissed the top of his head, then let him go. “I’m going to keep cooking, okay?”

“Okay..” He let John turn back around and buried his face in his back, sighing. “I’m so tired…”

“Go back to sleep, then.”

“Only when you come back.. I’ll stay here…”

John kept cooking breakfast, chuckling as he felt Alexander relax against him, asleep. He carefully slipped the food onto a plate and turned around, picking up Alexander and carrying him to the couch, laying with him and running his fingers through his hair.

After a few minutes, Lucy came padding into the room, yawning. “Good morning..”

“Hey, Lucy.” He smiled and ran his hand over her hair.

“Why are you over here with him?”

“I made breakfast and he wanted to take a nap with me, so I’m laying here.”

“Okay… Can I get food?”

“Of course. I’ll help you.” He got up and swaddled Alexander tightly in a blanket burrito before going with Lucy to the kitchen and helping her get a plate of food. Then, they went back to the living room and John let her watch cartoons while he laid with Alexander, cuddling him.

Thomas came out a bit later, kissing John and Lucy’s cheek before getting his breakfast and sitting on the floor with Lucy, watching cartoons.

John smiled. “Good morning.”

“Good morning, sunshine. What’s up with him?”

“He wanted to cuddle,” he shrugged. “And I’d never deny cuddle time.”

“Fair enough. He seems comfortable enough.” He looked at Alexander, who was fast asleep.

John nodded. “Can you fix me some breakfast?”

“Of course.” He brought him a plate and pecked his lips, moving the table closer so he could reach it.

“Thank you.” He ate his food and cuddled Alexander, only letting go when he felt him begin to wake up.

Thomas brought him the rest of the food and picked up Lucy, taking her back to their apartment. “I’ll see you guys later, okay?”

“Okay.” John waved and sat up with Alexander. “Did you have a good nap?”

“Great one..” He pulled himself out of the blanket and began eating. “Thanks..”

“No problem.” He kissed his cheek.

Alexander smiled and returned the tiny peck, the two eating in a calm silence. Once they were done, Alexander took their plates to the sink and washed them, putting them up after drying them, and went back to sit with John. “Movie day?..”

“Movie day sounds perfect.” John smiled and pulled up a movie on Netflix, sitting up on the couch and holding Alexander close as he leaned against his side. He kissed his forehead and wrapped a blanket around them, just enjoying the movie with him.

Alexander leaned into his side as much as he comfortably could, smiling. This was his time with John, finally. It was perfect as it was, even with nobody saying anything. He just sat and watched the movie with him, giving him an occasional kiss.

John returned every kiss and smiled, eventually shifting so they were laying down and sighing contently, holding Alexander close. When it came time to get some food, he just ordered some pizza, not wanting to do much for the rest of the day. He and Alexander enjoyed that for dinner and, eventually, just fell asleep together.

In the morning, John got up, careful not to disturb Alexander, and took a shower, getting ready for school before going out and finding that Alexander had poured them both a bowl of cereal, leaving the milk beside John’s bowl so it wouldn’t get too soggy before he got back.

He smiled when he came out and got up, going and kissing his cheek before taking a shower himself, getting dressed in some of John’s old clothes once he was done. He already had his backpack from when he went home, so he and John were ready, heading outside and running into Thomas and Lucy.

“Good morning, sunshine.” He leaned down and kissed John’s cheek. “While we’re here, do you want me to give you a ride to school?”

John shook his head. “No, I think we’re fine. I prefer to walk, anyways.”

“If you’re sure.” He smiled and left, taking Lucy with him as she waved bye to John.

Alexander began walking to school with John, groaning. “I don’t want to come back.”

“Nobody does. But at least we’re at the point where we can just count down the days.”

“The countdown isn’t fast enough.”

John shrugged. “I think the countdown to testing is way too fast. These advanced classes are kicking my ass.”

“They are not. I’ve seen your report card.”

“Well, it feels like they are.” He shrugged and chuckled.

Alexander sighed. “I’m still ready for summer..”

“I hear that.” He chuckled. “And then there’s college.. This is the easiest part of life, but it’s so boring. You know? Especially for me, since I’m only 17. I can’t even vote or get into R-rated movies on my own.”

“Aww..” Alexander chuckled. Sometimes he forgot that John was almost a year younger.

“I know..” He rolled his eyes. “Being a kid is hard.. You can’t imagine the stress James went through to get me a spot in the art event because of it. Poor guy’s already stressed enough every day of his life.”

“He seems like the type to always be stressed.”

“Trust me, he is. Isn’t Aaron kind of like that?”

He shrugged. “I don’t really know him all that well. I imagine so, though.”

Speaking of Aaron, Theodosia ran up to them as soon as they entered the school, looking a bit worried.

“Hey, guys, have you seen Aaron?.. I haven’t heard from him since before break.. I tried calling and I left texts, but he never responded..”

John frowned. “No, I’m sorry. I haven’t heard from him at all.”

“Okay.. If you do hear from him, can you ask him to call me?.. I’m worried about him.”

“No problem.” He smiled softly as she left. “Poor thing.. I hope Aaron’s okay.”

“Me too. That doesn’t seem like him.”

John nodded and walked with Alexander to class, sitting in the back with him. Thomas joined a bit before the bell rang, leaning towards John and speaking quietly.

“Have you heard from Aaron?.. Theodosia was freaking out a bit, trying to find him. He’s not at school, I swung by his first class. This isn’t like him.”

John shook his head. “No, she asked me and Alexander too. I have no idea where he could be..”

“That’s weird..” He frowned a bit and sat straight up as the bell rang.

Adams collected their homework and started class, beginning his end of year review.

John, of course, ignored it and began drawing, keeping it to himself as he usually did.

Thomas let him be and paid minimal attention, just like most of the class was, spending most of his time on his phone.

Alexander tried to look over his shoulder a few times, then gave up and began writing in one of his school journals, realizing that he still needed a new one. He made a note of that on his hand to put in his phone later and kept writing about whatever came to mind.

The three looked diligent at first glance, but they were all goofing off in different ways.

After class, Thomas walked Alexander to Eacker’s class, John going his separate way to his English lecture and drawing his way through it. About halfway through, Thomas sent him a text, a picture of Alexander sleeping on his desk in the dark classroom with the caption [Eacker put on a recording of our performance, for anyone who didn’t get to see it. I think this is Alexander’s way of saying he saw it too many times, lol]

John chuckled under his breath and responded. [Probably, but he knows he loved watching you guys every time. Just like me!]

[Would you watch it? I won’t be offended if you said no.]

[No, mainly because it’s not as good on video as it was live. It never really is.]

[I see your point. Luckily, I was in the play, so he’s letting me get away with texting and getting out of class.]

[Where are you going?]


	82. Chapter 82

Thomas didn’t respond. At least, not through text. He knocked on the door of John’s classroom and came in with a forged note, asking for John to come out.

He hid a mischievous grin and followed Thomas out and to the bathroom. When they got there, he smiled and hopped up, sitting on the sinks. “So, why’d you free me from my class?”

“Because I know Alexander’s going to get cranky without alone time with you and this is going to be my only opportunity to spend some with you.” He pecked his lips.

“I see your point.” He gave him another quick peck. “The school’s haunted bathroom is one of the best places to be alone.”

“Exactly.” He leaned against the sinks beside him. “So, what’s your latest art project?”

“Just a card for Maria’s birthday. I draw and Susan fills it in.”

“Oh yeah? When’s her birthday?”

“End of the month. Then, there’s a special someone else whose birthday I have to get ready for two weeks later.”

He grinned. “And who would that be?”

“My princely boyfriend, of course.” He smiled and reached out, wrapping his arms around Thomas’s neck and pulling him in for a few quick kisses.

“Aw, you don’t have to do anything too big for me.. You know that, right? I’d adore if you made me a drawing or something.”

“I’m not giving you any hints as to what I’m getting you. You’re going to have to wait. Nice try, though.”

“It was worth a shot. I don’t even get a little hint?”

“Not even the tiniest hint.”

“Damn.. Can I at least get a kiss?”

John nodded and leaned forward, kissing him again.

Thomas sighed contently into the kiss and kept his arms around John’s waist, pulling him closer.

After a few minutes, John pulled away for breath, resting his forehead against Thomas’s. “You know my no sex in the bathroom rule still applies, right?”

“I know, don’t worry.”

“Good.” He smiled and kissed him again for a few seconds. “Your breath has been really fresh lately. I like it.”

“I’m glad you do. It hasn’t been easy getting it that way.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I quit smoking. I’m not doing it anymore.”

John smiled widely and kissed him again before hugging him. “I’m so proud of you! I can’t imagine it was easy..”

“Nope, but I realized how much you hated that I smoked, especially so often. And I realized that you weren’t just against the habit, you were scared for me..”

“Well… Yeah…” John admitted. “After Martha, I really hated seeing anyone close to me smoking.. Laf used to for a bit and I asked him to quit because it was still such a new habit, but.. I knew it was going to be a bit tougher to get you to quit..”

“Sunshine.. If I knew what it meant to you that I quit, then I would’ve in a heartbeat. I’m sorry.. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

He sighed. “The thing is, Martha didn’t even smoke.. Her parents did and she got sick because she was so young and they did it so often… So the fact that you were actually smoking… I didn’t want to seem bitchy. I knew I wouldn’t really be able to hold myself back if I said anything about you smoking.”

“You aren’t bitchy. I get it and I would’ve understood if you explained it to me.” He liked to think that and he knew John believed that, but Thomas knew what he was like when he was craving a cigarette, when the only thing between him and smoking was finding a clear place to do it. He knew he wasn’t too pleasant to be around. The last thing he would’ve wanted was for himself to lash out at John because of it. “All that matters is that I’ve stopped now, okay?..”

“Okay..” He smiled anyways and hugged him. “I’m proud of you..”

Thomas smiled softly and hugged back, kissing his cheek. “Thanks, sunshine…”

He pulled away after a minute and cupped Thomas’s cheek before pecking his lips. “How did I get lucky enough to end up with two great guys?..”

“Because you’re amazing. You’re our angel sent from heaven and you were too great to just be with one of us.”

“You know that I’m no angel.”

“You have a heavenly body and you are the sweetest thing I know so, yes, you are an angel.”

He grinned and pulled him into another kiss. “Am I kissing you too much?..”

“I waited a whole year to be able to kiss you again. I’m still catching up,” he joked.

John chuckled. “I wonder what’s stopping me, then.” He pulled Thomas into a kiss again, making out with him until the bell rang. They went to lunch and Thomas, Alexander, and John sat separately from Lafayette and Hercules. It wasn’t that they disliked Thomas, but their still wasn’t much positive chemistry between Hercules and Thomas, making things too awkward.

“So, how was the rest of your nap in Eacker’s class?” Thomas asked Alexander, a slightly teasing edge in his voice.

Alexander rolled his eyes. “It was fine. Where did you go?”

He looked at John.

“He pulled me out of class and we just hung out in the bathroom.” He shrugged.

“Oh, that sounds about right for him.” He tutted and kept eating.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Thomas asked, slightly defensive.

“Nothing.”

John frowned. It meant something.. “Alex, what do you mean?..”

“I just mean that he takes every chance he gets to make out with you.”

“It’s not like that’s all we do.. And you do the same, sometimes…”

“Look, all I did was take some time that you spent asleep in class to get my bit of time with John. That way I wouldn’t bother you guys when you hang out, not that I’d do that anyways.”

“Yes you would.. Even if you don’t know it, you would…”

John frowned. “Why don’t you ever say anything?.. I’m not trying to blame you, but I don’t think you mind..”

“I mind sometimes. It’s not like it’s a regular thing for a relationship to be like this..”

He knew Alexander was right, that he wasn’t normal, but he was sure that he’d gotten used to the idea by now. “I’m sorry… I should’ve been paying better attention to you..”

Alexander sighed and shook his head. “No.. I’m sorry… That was uncalled for.. I just.. School is already stressing me out, with everything that we’re getting ready for, and I just lashed out. I’m not upset that you guys have your time, I promise.”

“Don’t lie.. I’d hate for you to think you have to lie just because I get a little upset..”

“It’s not like that, I promise. You know how I get, how I can just hit a pressure point.. I promise I’m just stressed.”

John looked him in the eye and nodded after a few seconds, believing him. “Okay.. You promise You’d tell me if anything in the relationship was bugging you?..”

“I promise.”

“Good..” He put his arm around Alexander’s shoulders and held him close as they ate, Thomas sitting silently across from them as he did the same.

After lunch, the day was fairly uneventful and very boring for the three, mainly consisting of the entire class getting lectured over one person not doing their homework or of reviews for testing. It was a true relief when the final bell rang.

But not for Theodosia. Her anxiety levels couldn’t have been higher.

“Everything’s going to be okay, I promise. It’s clear he adores you, there must be a good explanation for hits,” Lafayette said, attempting to comfort her as they drove her to Aaron’s house.

“You don’t think it’s weird that I’m going to his house?..”

“Of course not. You’re worried and for good reason. I can’t imagine how panicked I’d be if Hercules suddenly disappeared like this. He’ll definitely understand and explain everything.”

“Okay.. Thank you for driving me.”

“No problem.” They smiled and pulled into Aaron’s driveway, his car sitting there and his grandma’s beside it. “Would you like for me to come with you?”

“No, you don’t have to. Thanks.” She took a deep breath and got out of the car, Lafayette watching as she went and knocked on the door.

Within a minute, Aaron’s grandmother opened the door and smiled as she saw Theodosia. “Why, Theodosia, I haven’t seen you in a while. Would you like to come in?”

She nodded and stepped inside. “Thank you.. Is Aaron okay?.. I haven’t heard from him since before Spring break. At first, I was just worried that I’d made him mad, but now I’m just worried about him..”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I had to take away his laptop and cellphone. You see, he’s been resting since the surgery and I’m afraid he just won’t go down if there’s something for him to do.”

“Surgery?.. Is everything okay?..”

“Everything is fine. Here, why don’t you go see him for yourself?”

She nodded and followed her back to Aaron’s bedroom, feeling less silly about the basket of muffins she’d brought for him.

“Aaron, are you awake in here?”

“I’m just doing my work, grandma. Come in.”

“You have a guest.” She smiled and stepped aside, letting Theodosia step in.

“Hi…” she greeted shyly.

Aaron smiled and turned his chair to look at her. “Theodosia, hi. I’m sorry I couldn’t very well contact you, with my grandmother keeping me hostage.”

“Oh, hush. You need your rest.” She chuckled and walked away, letting the pair be alone.

Theodosia smiled and stepped inside, taking in the room. It was simple, just plain maroon walls with a few posters and a calendar tacked up. “She just told me that you’re recovering from a surgery.. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I actually had top surgery, right after school let out for break. I’m going back to school next week.”

She put the basket down on his desk. “I’m so happy for you!”

“Thank you.” He smiled and sat up, looking in the basket. “Muffins?”

“Yeah.. I thought you might be mad at me or something and I was hoping that these could be a peace offering.”

“Oh, of course I’m not mad at you. I promise I didn’t want to just ignore you, but my grandma had me on such a tight leash with my electronics.. I’m lucky she’s letting me do my homework now.” He chuckled.

“I can’t blame her. I feel like you wouldn’t take a break, but it is important for you to get your rest while you’re recovering.”

“I know, I know..” He smiled. “This was really sweet of you… I wish you would’ve come over during break.”

“I’m sorry.. I didn’t know if it was the time or anything.”

“Don’t be sorry, I understand. I can’t imagine how I would have felt in your position.” He took a muffin and began eating it, smiling and humming contently. “You’re a good baker.”

“Thank you..” She smiled shyly. “How did you know I made them?”

“I could just tell. You should take one.”

“No thanks, I don’t really want one right now.”

He nodded. “Suit yourself.”

She nodded and leaned against the desk beside him. “So, I have to wait a whole week before I can see you at school again?..”

He nodded. “Yeah, I need time off to heal. Then, I have to wait until the doctor clears me to restart testosterone, which is killer..”

“That sucks.. But at least you got top surgery.”

“Yeah..” He chuckled. “No more binders everyday, once I’m healed.”

“No more wearing them for more than you’re supposed to,” Theodosia added. “Laf told me to keep an eye on that and you actually do it a lot.. I didn’t know what that meant at first, but I did a bit of research and you could’ve really hurt yourself that way.. You could’ve bruised or broken your ribs.”

“I know.. I’m sorry, but it wasn’t something I actually noticed. It just felt so natural to be in my binder… I forgot that I had to take it off sometimes.”

She nodded a bit. She couldn’t judge him, she remembered what it meant for Francis when her own chest began to grow. Aaron probably had the opposite mindset, wanting to do everything in his power to hide his own chest to the point where a binder became like a second skin.

“So, how is everyone else? Francis, Martha, Laf?”

“Everyone’s doing fine. Martha’s still going out with George and Francis is still going out with Lauren, so nobody has to be a third wheel, but we’re still hanging out.” She smiled. She was glad that dating wouldn’t get in the way of their friendship.

“I’m glad to hear that.” He took another bite of his muffin. “What about the others? I imagine at least one of them has noticed me missing.”

“Actually, yes. They all noticed because you’re never gone.” And because Theodosia told them all, but that was embarrassing. “Lafayette says hi, by the way.”

“Tell Lafayette I said hi, then.” He paused and chuckled. “Are Thomas, John and Alexander still all going out?”

“From what I saw, yeah.” She smiled. “It doesn’t seem like Thomas and Alexander are at each other’s throats, either. I think they might actually be getting along.”

“They do have the same boyfriend, I’d hope they’d get along a little better than before.”

She nodded. “It’s sweet seeing them together. I heard they all went on a trip together from Lafayette, so I’m glad that they all came back in one piece.”

“Me too, especially with everything that happened before break.” Part of him was surprised that Thomas came back at all.

“I still can’t believe they forgave him for everything..”

“Well, the rumors were a bit skewed once they got to the freshman, but you’re right. He did do a lot of bad. But he’s not a bad person.” Aaron was one of the few people that actually managed to be one of Thomas’s friends during the past year. Or, rather, his acquaintance. They spoke, but they didn’t make a habit of hanging out. “He had the right ideas, just far from the right methods.”

“And what about Alexander?”

“What about him?”

“Well, he made up that Laurens pamphlet.”

Aaron didn’t know much about that, he’d only moved there during middle school and never really made any close friends, besides a less evil John Jay. But a poorly hidden bruise by John Laurens with less practice went noticed far more than what was normal. “I can’t say anything for sure about that. But it is John’s choice and you can’t deny that he seems happy with them both.”

“I can’t argue with you there.” As a freshman, she hadn’t seen much of an earlier John Laurens, but there was a difference between the guy she used to pass in the halls during the fall semester and the one that greeted her on sight now in the spring.

Aaron nodded and finished his muffin. “Theodosia, would you like to go on a date this Sunday? My recovery time will be over by then.”

She nodded. “Of course. Where are you thinking?”

“Maybe just dinner. Nowhere too fancy, if you don’t want that.”

“No, whatever you choose is fine, just let me know how I should dress before hand.”

He nodded and smiled. “Will do..”

Theodosia smiled, her thoughts interrupted as a black and white blur hopped onto the desk. “Oh, I remember that pretty kitty anywhere.” She began petting CC’s head. “Where have you been this whole time?”

Aaron smiled. “He does his own thing most of the time.”

“Is that so? Well, I guess you came so you could see me, huh?”

It certainly seemed that way, with the way CC sprawled across Aaron’s desk seconds after Theodosia began petting him.

Aaron didn’t mind, he was just enjoying watching Theodosia getting along so well with him.

Theodosia eventually carried CC off of Aaron’s desk to let him work. “Would you mind if I sat on your bed?”

“Of course not.” He gave her a quick smile, then went back to doing his work, Theodosia playing with CC behind him. “How’s Thor doing?”

“She’s great and hyper and I’m sure she misses you.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Theodosia nodded. “She can fare well on her own, but I should probably go to check on her soon..”

“Of course. Do you need a ride home?”

“I might, but I don’t want you to strain yourself. I was just going to call Laf.”

“I understand.”

Theodosia nodded and got up a few minutes later, going to Aaron and hugging him from behind. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

He put down his pen and turned around, returning the hug and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be waiting.”

She smiled and walked out, going to the living room and attempting to just walk home, stopped at the door by Aaron’s grandmother.

“Did you need a ride, sweetheart?”

“Oh, no, I could just walk, no problem. Thank you, though.”

She shook her head. “Nonsense. I’ll drive you. Wait here a minute.” She left to tell Aaron that she’d be taking Theodosia home and grabbed her keys before going outside to her car with Theodosia and getting in with her. The pair made small talk throughout the ride and Theodosia thanked her as she dropped her off before heading inside and taking care of Thor.


	83. Chapter 83

Lafayette had left about five minutes after Theodosia had gone inside, sensing that it was going to take a bit longer than expected, and went to Hercules’s shop after swinging by their own house to grab a change of clothes and Rosie. They smiled at Hugh as he greeted them at the counter and went farther in, finding Hercules in the backroom, helping his mom with a custom order.

Sarah was refusing to stay off of her feet, but Hercules and Hugh were going to at least make sure that she didn’t overexert herself.

“Hello, you two. What are you working on?”

“A prom dress!” Sarah practically squealed. “Isn’t this just the best time of the year? I love watching the kids coming in and picking their prom dresses, especially as a couple, it is just the sweetest thing!”

Lafayette smiled. Sarah had gotten excited every year starting in march until after graduation as long as they could remember. And, now, it was their senior year, their turn for prom. The theme had been decided a few months before, Starry Night, and it seemed like some girls were getting their dresses early.

“So, has Herky here promposed to you yet?”

“Not yet, but I’m sure it’ll come soon. Nothing too huge, as long as it’s romantic.” They kissed Hercules’s cheek, making him smile through his embarrassed blush.

To be honest, Hercules had thought of promposing to Lafayette, but he could never think of the right thing to say or do for them. So… he had nothing. But he knew he’d think of something. Lafayette deserved it.

Sarah smiled. “What about prom dresses? Are you going to be looking or sticking with a tux?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll think about it, though.”

“I think you’re going to be gorgeous either way.”

“Thank you.” They smiled back before turning back to Hercules. “I’m going to go up to your room, okay?”

“Okay.” He turned up for a second and pecked his datemate’s lips before watching them go upstairs. Hercules smiled and turned back to the project he was working on.

Lafayette sat in Hercules’s room with Rosie and played with her, laying on their stomach and waving around a feather toy. She was getting bigger, but she was still such a tiny kitten, just four months old. “You are a sweetheart.. Never get old.”

She just mewled and pounced on the toy, making her mother chuckle.

Hercules kept working with his mom, altering the fifth prom dress that prom season. “I’m thinking of designing something for Laf.. I’m just not sure what exactly I want to do yet..”

“I can help you.”

He shook his head. “I want to make it on my own, just like I did the dress for the dance.”

“Well, it’s not like I’d make it. I’d just help you get on the right track for designing.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it.” He gave her a quick smile, then continued working. If he was being honest, he wasn’t even sure he’d make the dress without asking Lafayette how they felt about it, first. After all, they’d just said that they weren’t even sure about the idea of wearing a prom dress.

“And what about promposing?”

“Ma, you shut down every idea I’ve given you.”

“I didn’t shut them down, I just pointed out a few flaws.”

Hercules shrugged. “I want it to be perfect…”

Sarah smiled softly. He really was trying his best… “Why don’t we both call it a day? I’ll help your father in the shop.”

“Alright.” He got up and went upstairs, smiling as he saw his datemate playing with their kitten. “Hey there, gorgeous..”

Lafayette looked up at him and smiled, shifting so they were sitting up on their knees. “Hello there. Taking a break?”

“We decided to call it a day.” He sat beside Lafayette and pecked their lips. “Have you two been having fun?”

“We’ve been having fun, but it’s not the same without you here.”

Rosie seemed to agree, climbing into Herc’s lap and standing with her paws against his chest.

He smiled and pet down her back. “I’m glad our little girl missed me.”

Lafayette smiled. “Of course she did.” They kissed his cheek and leaned against him with a content sigh.

Hercules put his arm around Lafayette and pet Rosie with his other hand. “I love this…”

“Me too..”

After another minute, he lifted Rosie up, holding her against his chest, and wrapped his other arm against Lafayette’s waist and under their leg, picking them both up and shifting so they were sitting on his bed.

Lafayette blushed and giggled. “I didn’t realize you were that strong.”

“You give me the strength of a god.” He kissed their cheek.

“You’re so cheesy..” Lafayette muttered, still smiling.

Hercules shrugged, grinning proudly. “Only for you.” He kissed their cheek again. “So.. I was wondering if you wanted me to design you a prom dress.”

Lafayette thought for a few seconds. “I’m not sure..”

“Why not?..”

“Well.. I’ve noticed that I don’t really feel comfortable in dresses on my boy days.. I was lucky enough not to feel that during the dance, but I don’t want to take the chance. You would have worked so hard on it and, I know you, you would feel bad about me being uncomfortable, even though it’s nobody’s fault..”

Hercules couldn’t deny that. He knew that Lafayette would wear the dress, even if he didn’t want to, and he’d feel bad about making him uncomfortable. “Alright..”

“But I’m still not sure about just a regular tux.” To be frank, it was too plain for them, even on guy days.

“We’ll figure something out. We still have two months.” He kissed their cheek. “For now, how would you like to be a model for a commission piece I’m making?”

“That sounds perfect.”

Hercules smiled and got up, looking through the dummies that he had in his room until he found the one he was looking for. It was a simple piece for some kind of gala, taken care of by him at his father’s request.

Lafayette stood up and took the dress as Hercules got it off of the dummy, letting him leave before getting changed. They did so quickly, taking a minute to look at the dress in the full length mirror inside of Hercules’s closet door. It was simple, a more mature look than Lafayette was used to wearing. Just a deep purple fitted dress that was a bit loose at the top, but that wasn’t a bad thing, since Lafayette wasn’t built for that part.

They.. No, he was about to call Hercules back in when he felt a sense of dread, like a punch in the stomach. He grabbed the closet doorway to stabilize himself, but it didn’t help much, as much as his arms were shaking. He wanted to call Hercules for help, but he could hardly think, much less speak. One thought was clear, though. He had to get out of the dress.

Even in his panic, he was able to do so carefully and put the dress on a random hanger in Hercules’s closet, getting dressed before running out of the room and to the bathroom, making it to the toilet a few seconds before he began vomiting.

Hercules was at his side in less than a second, kneeling down and rubbing their back. “Hey.. What happened?..” he asked softly, his tone assuring Lafayette that he didn’t need an immediate answer.

Which was good because he wasn’t sure he could’ve given one if he tried. He kept throwing up until his stomach was empty, groaning and feeling weak all over.

Hercules frowned and helped them to their feet, flushing the mess down for them and getting some mouthwash. “Here you go, baby.. Rinse, okay? Then we can go rest.”

Lafayette nodded and did that, Sarah appearing in the doorway as he spat it out a minute later.

“Is everything okay? I heard the running from downstairs..”

“Laf got a little sick.. I’m going to let them lay down for a bit.” He felt their forehead, frowning as he felt a small fever. He picked them up and carried them back to his room, putting Lafayette down on his bed.

“Poor thing.. Do you feel any better, Taffy?..”

He nodded. “I do.. Can I talk to Hercules for a minute?..”

“Of course.” She kissed their forehead before leaving.

“What is it, baby?..”

He sat up. “I don’t know what that was… I was just wearing the dress, then, all of a sudden, I felt like a boy and I felt bad wearing it.. I changed as fast as I could, then.. You know the rest..”

Hercules nodded and frowned. “I’m sorry, baby..”

“Don’t be. You didn’t know I’d react that way. I didn’t know I’d ever react that way until it happened…”

He sighed and kissed his forehead. “How are you feeling now?..”

“Just like I have a cold.. I’m sure I’ll feel better in the morning, though.”

“Okay.. Just rest for now, though, okay?..”

He nodded and rolled onto his side, curling up as Rosie jumped up and laid with him, sensing her mother’s discomfort. He held her against his chest and shut his eyes, taking a nap.

Hercules sighed and kissed his forehead, then went out to his mother and explained what happened. “I don’t think surprising him with a prom dress is a good idea..”

“You’re right.. You’ll think of something. Is he okay for now?”

“He’s sleeping..”

“That’s good.”

He nodded and began working on dinner as Hugh came over from the shop.

“Hey, guys. Where did Lafayette go?”

“He got a little sick, so he’s taking a nap,” Sarah explained simply. Hugh knew about Lafayette’s changing gender identity, but she didn’t want to just tell him why exactly Lafayette was getting sick without his permission. The only reason Hercules had been so quick to tell Sarah was she was essentially a mom to him and nothing happened to her boys without her knowing.

“I hope he gets better.”

Hercules nodded. “Me too..”

Hugh and Sarah took over cooking for him and let him go take care of Lafayette, not that there was much for him to do.

He sat beside him for a bit, occasionally running his fingers through his hair until he woke up, smiling softly. “Hey, baby.. Feeling better?..”

Lafayette nodded and returned the smile, sitting up. “I feel a lot better after sleeping..”

“Good..” He kissed his forehead. “I told ma what happened.. Like why you got sick.. I hope that was okay.”

He nodded. “It’s alright. I know she worries.” He honestly didn’t mind Sarah knowing about what was going on, or Hugh, as long as Lafayette knew who knew about it.

“They’re making dinner right now.. Do you feel like eating or do you think you might get sick again?..”

“I think I can eat. And I am hungry..” He got up and stretched a bit, Rosie doing the same on the bed before hopping down and sitting at her mom’s feet.

Hercules smiled and led them downstairs, letting Lafayette set at the table as his parents finished cooking while he got Rosie’s food and water, petting her as she began eating before setting the table with Lafayette and helping his parents with the plates.

All four sat and ate dinner, discussing their days and laughing together, just like John and Alexander were doing back at the former’s apartment.

Alexander chuckled and leaned against John, his plate in his lap and his legs tucked up under him. “We need more movie nights again..”

“I promise we can have movie nights whenever you ask.” He knew it’d be a promise that would be hard to keep, but he planned on doing his best to not disappoint.

“I’ll make sure to take you up on that.” Though he’d do his best not to do so when John was spending time with Thomas.

John nodded a bit and put down his empty plate, something lingering in the back of his mind. “… Honestly though, you’re sure you’re not bothered by everything?.. By me being with Thomas?..”

Alexander sighed a bit. “I’ll admit, I still get jealous sometimes, but I don’t get too upset by it, if that’s what you meant. I know I’ve screwed up a lot and I’ve hurt you, a lot more than this whole thing with Thomas has hurt me, so I’m lucky that you’re still with me, even if you’re with him, too. I’m not mad about it, though, I can promise you that much.”

“Good..” John kissed his cheek. “I’m serious about you being honest with me… I don’t care if my feelings get hurt for a few seconds if it can mean that yours don’t get hurt constantly, you know?”

“I know.. And I’m working on it.”

“I know you are. Believe me, I know you’re working really hard with me, for me…” He leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I really do love you..”

“I love you too.. A lot..”

John smiled softly and put his plate on the table beside his laptop, then shifted so Alexander was sitting in his lap, his back against his chest. “Is this okay?..”

“This is more than okay,” Alexander hummed contently, relaxing back against John.

“Good..” He kissed the top of his head, then continued watching the movie with him in silence.

Once it ended, Alexander moved off of John’s lap and took their plates to the sink, washing and drying them for him before putting them up.

As he shut the cabinets, John hugged him from behind and kissed his cheek. “Thanks..”

Alexander smiled and turned around, kissing John properly. “No problem.”

“So, do you want to watch another movie now?”

“That sounds perfect.” They moved back to the couch and spent the rest of the evening, just watching movies.

And the whole week played out in a similar manner. They’d suffer through classes, Thomas would find a way to get out of class and pull John out of his own, taking him to the bathroom to hang out (and make out). Then, the three would sit together at lunch and eat, talking quietly and getting along better than they had Monday. After school, Theodosia would visit Aaron for a while and Lafayette would go hang out with Hercules and Alexander and John would have a movie night after making dinner together and before falling asleep on the couch, both too lazy to go to bed.

The weekend seemed to come around just as fast as it had ended.


	84. Chapter 84

John woke up early on Saturday morning and took a shower and got dressed before Alexander had even woken up, making him breakfast and eating and waiting.

“Why are you up so early?” Alexander asked through a yawn as he dragged himself off of the couch.

“I wanted to go to the gym this morning. I need to go work out more again.” He’d been going easy on himself for a while, skipping almost all of his weekly trips to the gym. “I can’t have myself going soft, now.” He rolled up his sleeve and flexed, showing muscles that were far from disappearing and Alexander found himself having a bit of the opposite problem of John’s.

“You look fine. Come back to bed and do nothing with me,” he whined, reaching out for John.

He smiled and went back over, kissing his forehead and dragging him off of the couch as he attempted to hold him down. “No can do. You can come with me, if you want.”

“What are you trying to say?” Alexander asked jokingly.

“I’m saying you’re gorgeous and I want you to come with me so I can remember who I have to keep myself looking good for.”

He pecked his lips. “Alright, I’ll go with you, but only because you’re a huge dork.”

“Good.” He smiled and took Alexander back into his room, giving him some comfortable gym clothes and letting him change, then having him eat before walking to the gym with him.

“You do this for fun?”

“I do this mainly to not lose my mind. It’s a great way for me to release my anger and get my blood flowing.”

“So you do it for fun.”

John chuckled. “Sure, I do it for fun.”

“Weirdo.”

“Takes one to know one.”

Their playful teasing continued until they got to the gym, until John took Alexander into the boxing area and let him sit and watch while he went hard on a punching bag, moving it’s weight without breaking much of a sweat, figuratively speaking.

It was oddly fascinating for Alexander to watch, just knowing how calm and collected John usually was. To see him so angry, it was a lot more like-

“Alexander Hamilton. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. What’s a shrimp like you doing in a gym?”

He felt himself go pale, more fear running through him than when it had been Thomas targeting him. “Lee…” He could never forget that voice, but he also couldn’t get himself to turn all the way around and face him, just turning away so he wasn’t so blatantly staring at John.

“I asked you a question, punk. Answer it.” He roughly grabbed the collar of Alexander’s shirt and forced him to face him, but Alexander couldn’t bring himself to look him in the eye.

The pair had met months ago, at one of Alexander’s past schools. Charles Lee had been his friend at first and Alexander almost had feelings for him… Then everything changed when he admitted it.

Tripping in hallways, pushing down stairs, stealing money, you name it. Charles Lee tormented Alexander until Martha found out and, furious, got Charles Lee expelled before moving Alexander far away to a new school, not that he lasted all that long in that school.

“Well?” he snarled, a cruel smirk carved into his face.

“I.. I..”

“Hey.”

Both of them turned to the sharp voice, finding John storming over.

He grabbed the hand that was gripping Alexander’s shirt and squeezed until Lee was forced to let go, pushing it back into his arm until he forced him onto his knees. “What the hell are you doing, putting our hands on him, huh?”

John had broken Thomas’s nose for kicking Alexander in the face, but he wasn’t going to do any permanent damage to someone who was a complete stranger, at least to him. He just wanted to scare him.

And, with the way he had his arm, it was working.

“Let me go! I wasn’t going to hurt him or anything, I was just roughing him up! You know how it is, I’ll go!”

John tutted and let him get to his feet, standing between the bully and Alexander. “Go pick on someone your own size.”

Lee may not have been Thomas’s height, but he was definitely taller than both Alexander and John. Still, he backed off and walked away, shooting Alexander a glare.

John didn’t see it, back turned to him as he checked on Alexander. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine… He didn’t hurt me, he just grabbed my collar..”

John nodded and cupped his cheek, his demeanor far more gentle than it was just a few seconds ago. “Do you want to go home?”

“I don’t want to make you miss your workout..”

John shook his head. “Forget my workout. I’m more worried about you and your comfort. I don’t mind missing a day if you’re not comfortable staying here any longer.”

Well, if that was the case… “I want to go home…”

“We can go home.” He kissed his forehead and unwrapped the tape from his knuckles before leaving with Alexander, holding his hand and walking back to the apartment with him.

“I’m sorry.. I feel like a wimp..”

“You are not a wimp. That guy was pretty big. I’m glad he couldn’t hurt you… Who was he, anyways? Some random jerk?”

Alexander slowly shook his head. “That was Charles Lee..”

John’s eyes went a bit wide in surprise, but he quickly stopped himself, not wanting Alexander to think he should be scared. “Oh.. The Charles Lee…”

He just nodded and frowned, staring down at his feet as John led him inside and sat with him.

“You don’t need to worry about him. You know I’ll protect you, no matter what. Just like I do with Thomas.”

“That’s different, though. Thomas holds back when he’s fighting you… He cares.. Lee doesn’t care about anyone but himself.” He glared a bit at the floor before his expression softened and he looked back up at John. “Can you promise me something?..”

“That depends on what it is..”

“If.. If you do fight Charles Lee for me and he does turn out to be enough to beat you, please run away..”

John smiled softly and kissed his forehead. “Alex, I’m an undefeated boxer. I’ll be okay, I promise.”

“Yeah, but… But that’s in a fair, clean fight.. Lee is not a fair or clean fighter…”

“Neither was Thomas, but I could still kick his ass.”

He sighed and nodded, wrapping his arms around John’s waist and burying his face into his side. John wasn’t going to get hurt, he promised himself that. If John was in trouble, he’d sacrifice himself to save him, no doubt about it. After all, the only reason Lee would have to mess with John is to get to Alexander, at least that was what he told himself.

And it made sense, but John knew better. Lee tormented Alexander because he liked guys, right? So what was there to say that Lee won’t be messing with him and his friends for the same reason, assuming that he ever saw him again. He knew he’d have to keep an eye out for him, now that he was close enough to find them.

“When you went to school with him, was that nearby?..”

“Not really.. It was a disciplinary school that I had to go to for a while because no public high school would let me attend otherwise.. It wasn’t much, just a bunch of kids with issues all put together. Me and Martha stayed at one of her friend’s houses while I went there, but we came back on weekends. She thought it was going to be good for me, since the teachers were used to handling kids who were like me, and those were the ones who could control their actions… Anyways, I met Lee while I was there, near the end of the time that was required by any other high school and I decided I wanted to be there longer at first because we got along at first.. Then I changed my mind and I got to switch schools when he started.. You know..”

John nodded and held Alexander a bit closer. He could relate to the kind of daily torture that Alexander went through dealing with Lee.

“I guess they finally let him out.. I don’t know if he’s going to our school or another nearby high school..”

John hoped just as much as Alexander that he was going to attend a different school, but he knew the odds of that actually being true were slim to none. He leaned down and kissed the top of Alexander’s head, running his fingers through his hair. He laid back against the couch and pulled Alexander down beside him, opening his laptop and putting on a movie.

Alexander sighed and took in John’s scent one more time before turning his head and watching it with him. Just another Disney movie.. “Can.. Can we watch something else?..”

“Yeah, of course.”

He usually didn’t mind watching Disney movies with John, he never asked to watch something else before, but seeing these characters live their happiest lives… He wasn’t in the mood.

John put on Captain America: The First Avenger and held Alexander close, running his fingers through his hair as the movie played.

Before long, Alexander fell asleep and John was quick to follow, shifting in his sleep and cuddling him properly. When he woke up, he looked down and smiled, kissing the top of Alexander’s head and turning off the movie. He carefully shifted and sat up, scooping up Alexander in his arms and taking him to his bed, laying him down before going to the kitchen and making lunch, just some quick sandwiches. He ate his and put the rest in the fridge before going back to his room and laying beside Alexander, his boyfriend immediately wrapping his arms around his waist.

“Stop leaving me..”

He smiled, feeling his heart melt. “I’m sorry.. I was just eating. I’m here to stay now.”

“Good..” He buried his face in his chest and sighed. “Why does life have to be so hard?..”

“I don’t know.. But he harder it is, the better it is when we bounce back.

Alexander sighed and buried his face in John’s chest. He didn’t want to bounce back… He wanted to just get past all of the hard stuff and be happy with John. He thought he was done dealing with his share of hardships, that the hurricane and Charles Lee and even Thomas Jefferson was enough for one person. That losing his mom and dealing with his father and his disgusting friends was enough for John to deal with. Where was their happy ending?..


	85. Chapter 85

The night ended with movies and cuddles and John making them dinner, just another quiet night in. Thankfully, their Sunday was just as quiet, spent by cuddling and watching whatever movies they wanted, just like Saturday, and eating takeout food and sweets.

Their Monday, however… wasn’t nearly as great.

For starters, Alexander was reminded that Thomas existed as he came up and wrapped his arm around John’s waist, kissing his cheek.

“Hey, cutie. Have a nice weekend with Alex?”

John seemed to be feeling quite the opposite to Alexander’s annoyance. “Yeah, we just went to the gym, then spent the rest of the weekend in, watching movies.”

“Sounds fun. How was your gym trip?”

“Not bad. I just went in on a punching bag for a few minutes. I really have to get back to going to the gym. I’m getting soft..”

Thomas grinned and leaned down. “If that’s a problem, I’m sure Alexander could’ve helped you.”

John smiled and rolled his eyes, playfully punching Thomas in the arm, making him laugh.

“Seriously, you look fine. And you always look fine.”

John chuckled. “You’re crazy..”

“I’m serious. Come on, you’re gorgeous as you are. You don’t need to get any more muscular.”

“I wasn’t really planning on it.” He shrugged before grinning back up at Thomas. “Besides, I know your type.”

“My type? I don’t have one of those.”

“Oh really? Will Connolly, Tom Holland, George Salazar-”

“Hey, what can I say? I know gorgeous when I see it. And you, sweetheart, are gorgeous.” He leaned down and kissed John’s cheek, making him giggle a bit.

But his smile soon disappeared as he felt Alexander pulling away from his hand. Oh, god, he was doing it again. He was giving Thomas too much attention. He turned to apologize and saw that that wasn’t the issue. At least, it wasn’t what made him let his hand go.

Alexander was kneeling down, picking up his books, with a familiar figure walking away.

John gritted his teeth and glared at the figure as he walked away before going and kneeling down beside Alexander, helping him pick up his books.

Alexander was visibly shaking, his face pale as he looked up and muttered a thank you.

“Did he hurt you?..”

“He just knocked my books from my hands.. But he’s here.. You know?..”

“I know.. I’m sorry..” He stood up and gave him his books, kissing his forehead. “And I’m sorry I wasn’t paying better attention…

Alexander shook his head. "Don’t be, I understand. Like I said, it’s okay..” He smiled softly and pecked John’s lips. “I’m learning to accept this better than I have been, I promise.”

“Good..” He smiled. “If you ever want more attention, though, don’t hesitate to ask. You know he’s far from shy about it.” He nodded back at Thomas, who was just one his phone, letting the two be.

He didn’t seem to be jumping around for John’s attention, but Alexander knew what he meant. Thomas would almost never turn down an opportunity to hang out with John and, more often than not, he was the one engaging John to hang out with him. “Okay.”

Maybe that was his problem. He didn’t really engage and ask for John’s attention nearly as much or as freely as Thomas did. He just kind of expected John to hang out with him and when he told Thomas that he just wanted to hang out on his own and paint, he took note without even asking himself. He knew it probably wasn’t the worst problem he could have in a relationship, but it was one he’d work on fixing.

“You should hang out with Thomas,” …. was the last thing Alexander expected himself to say… But.. Well, Thomas did only have time making out with John in the bathroom for the past week, just an hour or so while Alexander got entire nights and weekends. He knew they weren’t sharing John in the traditional sense, but maybe, either way, it was Thomas’s turn to hang out with John.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I have homework that I need to catch up on and he should get some time with you.”

He smiled at the idea that Alexander was warming up to the idea of Thomas joining them even more and pecked his lips. “Okay, but don’t be afraid to ask if you want to hang out with us, okay?”

“Okay.” He nodded and walked with him and Thomas, who hadn’t been particularly listening to the conversation since he wasn’t a part of it, to class, sitting with them in the back.

Thankfully, Alexander was free of Charles Lee’s presence there, not that he would’ve had to be afraid with John around.

Next period… He wasn’t so lucky. And thank god Lafayette was there with him. Oh. yeah, and Thomas.

“Is that.. Charles Lee?..” Lafayette whispered to Alexander as he came in and sat down, just a few seats in front of them.

Alexander bit his tongue and nodded, taking a deep breath to calm himself down a bit.

“He won’t mess with you so long as I’m here, don’t worry.”

It was odd that Alexander’s non violent, skirt wearing, makeup genius brother was a better protector than his boyfriend’s over six foot, pure muscle boyfriend with violent tendencies. But such was life.

The class itself was pretty quiet, Charles Lee was stupid, but he wasn’t bullying in the middle of class stupid, but Lafayette and Alexander were still careful walking out. Lafayette stayed close to his brother and Alexander allowed it.

Hercules was waiting a few steps away, smiling as he saw his boyfriend, though it wavered a bit as he saw their expressions. “Hey guys… What’s wrong?..”

“One of Alexander’s old bullies is here.. He had that class with us and he’s not the type to forgive and forget how Alexander got him expelled..”

Hercules nodded a bit and looked at Alexander. “Don’t worry. You’re safe with us.”

“Thanks..” He smiled a bit at him, appreciating the support, and began walking with them to lunch, somewhat in front of them. From where he was, Alexander was safe… But that still left-

Lafayette jumped and gasped as someone flipped up his skirt, quick to flip it back down and turn around to face the culprit. Who else would it be besides Charles Lee?

He snickered. “What’s the matter? You want to dress like a girl, but you can’t handle the consequences of looking like one?”

Lafayette was red faced with anger and embarrassment, but he didn’t want to hurt Charles Lee. Not yet. He even stopped Hercules before he could step forward and start something. “Forget it. That’s such a childish move.” He glared for a second before turning back and continuing to walk down the hall. The entire school had seen him grinding on Thomas Jefferson. He could handle this.

“Nice black panties! Who’s screwing you tonight? Your little boyfriend there or the entire football team?”

Lafayette stopped in his tracks and the other two stopped and looked back at him, equally worried expressions on their faces.

“What? Did I hit a sore spot? Did you not want to let your boyfriend know that you’re a little-” He was cut off by Lafayette punching him in the jaw, making him topple like a rag doll.

Lafayette crossed his arms. “Are you finished?”

Charles Lee just groaned and held his face.

“Good.” He held his head high and walked off with Hercules and Alexander, going to lunch.

John and Thomas met them there at their table, John frowning when he saw Lafayette’s serious expression and Alexander’s guilt ridden one. “What happened?..”

“Lee… He was picking on Laf..”

“I’ll be fine. I know better than to let him get to me.”

John nodded a bit, frowning slightly. “Sorry, Laf..”

“Don’t be. I’ll be perfectly okay.” He smiled. And he was telling the truth.

Jefferson as a bully was more ruthless, hitting where it hurts and it was just so much more convincing. But with Lee, Lafayette could tell he was just trying to get under his skin, that he was just looking for a reaction. It was so much easier to ignore, but nobody called him a slut and got away with it.

Thomas frowned. He was that guy just a month ago and now, he was seeing how it affected a friend. It made him feel awful.. “I’m sorry I used to be that guy..”

“I’ve already forgiven you. We all do stupid things for love.”

“Yeah, but mine were a bit too stupid..” He sighed and put down his fork, packing his lunch up. “I’m sorry. I need to walk around the halls for a bit.. Alone.” He put his things in his backpack, then left.

Lafayette sighed. “You know.. I doubted it at first, but I really think he’s regretting everything he did.. I’m going to go talk to him.”

Hercules furrowed his eyebrows as Lafayette got up. “Why?” Jefferson did what he did and he’d already told himself he wasn’t going to forget it, even if he reluctantly forgave him.

“Because what he did was twisted and monstrous and he’s seeing that. What if you found out that something you did hurt me like that and you see how wrong it was?.. Something that you thought was beneficial, but was just hurtful?..”

Hercules didn’t have an answer. He frowned and looked down at his food. He could see where Lafayette was coming from. If he’d ever done something to hurt him or even his friends, for that matter, he’d never forgive himself. If that’s the position that Thomas was in… “Okay.. I understand.”

“Thank you. I’ll be right back.” He kissed Hercules’s cheek, then left, leaving his things behind. He went through the hallways and looked around for Thomas, finding him talking to… Charles Lee?..

“Come on, man. You’ve got a thing for his boy and you can’t really tell me that you’re okay with them being together. Just slide him my way and he’ll be out of your hair.”

Lafayette’s eyes went wide. Thomas couldn’t seriously be considering it, could he?..

He paused, his response unclear.

That was all Lafayette needed. He gritted his teeth and stormed back to the cafeteria, stopping outside. How exactly would he go about this?.. Hey, John, Thomas, right after leaving because he felt bad for what he did, is giving Alexander over to his childhood bully? Hey, Alex, Thomas, who you’re just starting to trust is handing you off to the guy who traumatized you?..

No. He couldn’t do that. Thomas was going to say it himself or he was going to get caught and John was going to make him pay. He felt like maybe he should’ve told, but there was no right way. And it would’ve killed John to hear it from him instead of Thomas himself. If he had any sense of honor, he’s tell them. But Lafayette was done trusting him.

Thomas left and began wandering the hallways, his bag slung over his shoulder and his posture uncharacteristically slumped as he wandered. God… He really was a monster… He really did that to the people he now called his friends, to the people that the man he loved called his friends. He hurt John and those he cared about just to get him back when he was clearly already happy…

He frowned and gripped his bag tighter. If it hadn’t been for Alexander- No. No, that wasn’t right and he knew it. John still loved him and he could’ve gotten him back easily, if he had just been a decent guy… He sighed and shook that thought from his head. Alexander was not to blame. Sure, Thomas himself didn’t like him, but John loved him and he was in no position to get rid of him.

“Hey! Tall guy! Wait!”

Thomas instinctively paused, turning and tutting as he saw that loser who knocked down Alexander’s books. He turned back around and kept walking.

“Hey! I said wait!” He ran over and made his way in front of Thomas, blocking his path. “Just a few seconds.”

Thomas rolled his eyes and looked at his watch. “Ten seconds. Go.”

“Okay. You like Hamilton’s guy. It looks like you’re a thing. I like Hamilton. Let me take him off your hands.”

He tutted and shook his head. “Not a chance. John likes him and he doesn’t like you.”

“But I like him. Come on, a guy like you, you know how it is. Pick on someone ‘cause you like them?” He noticed the split second of understanding in this guy’s eyes and grinned, knowing he had him right where he wanted him. “Come on. You may not like him, but Hamilton’s cute. And when I found out he was bi, that was it. My old man didn’t want me being some queer, so I just started picking on him, but I’m 18 now. He doesn’t tell me what to do or who I can be with and I want Alexander.”

Thomas hesitated for a split second before shaking his head. “I guess I know your kind, I was a dick to try and get John too, but I had to work hard to really show him I was worth his time. Now, you’ve gotta do the same before he can think about letting you near Alex.”

Lee rolled his eyes. “Come on, man. You’ve got a thing for his boy and you can’t really tell me that you’re okay with them being together. Just slide him my way and he’ll be out of your hair.”

Thomas hesitated. The offer was tempting…


	86. Chapter 86

But he couldn’t do it. “No way. You want him, you can get him yourself. I’m not doing your dirty work, creep.”

He scoffed. “What? So you’re just going to share that little twink? You like knowing he’s taking dick from someone else?”

Thomas grabbed his collar. “Don’t you fucking talk about him like that.”

“Okay, I’m sorry.”

He tutted and threw him down. This guy may have talked big, but he was just a wimp, picking on those smaller than him just because he could. “You’re fucking pathetic.” He turned and walked away, feeling his glare on his back. He didn’t care. Thomas was used to people hating him. At least now, it was because he was doing good.

Charles Lee tutted and picked himself up, dusting himself off. This was a setback. He thought that this guy was going to see things his way for sure. It made things harder, but oh well. The harder the challenge, the better the reward.

Thomas kept walking around until it was time for class again, sitting near everyone, except for John, of course, he had a different class. He leaned towards Lafayette and tapped his shoulder.

“Hey, man.. I just wanted to say again that I’m really sorry about how I treated you. All of you.” Naturally, he’d gotten Alexander and Hercules’s attentions as well.

“I just.. I realize how much of a jerk I was and I feel awful every time I get reminded.”

“I’m sure you do.” Lafayette stated coldly.

Thomas furrowed his eyebrows. “I do.. I mean it, Laf.”

He just nodded and faced the front of the room. “Class is starting.”

Thomas furrowed his eyebrows, but paid attention as class began.

After class, he caught Lafayette alone, while Hercules was going to take a make up test and Alexander went to find John.

“Did I do something?”

“Did you?”

“Laf, I really don’t know why you’re mad at me right now.”

Lafayette stopped walking and sighed, turning to face Thomas again. “So, you’re just going to deny selling out my brother to Charles Lee?”

Thomas furrowed his eyebrows. “What?.. What are you talking about?”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t play dumb with me, I’m not stupid. I saw you talking to Charles Lee. I heard him talking about you wanting him gone, you wanting Alexander gone so you could have John all for yourself. I’ll give you a chance to tell them yourself, but if you think you can just-”

“I didn’t sell him out.”

“Oh, right, so I just heard someone else that looks exactly like you. I’m not stupid.”

Thomas sighed. “I know that. I didn’t sell him out. I told Lee I wasn’t going to do it. I’ll admit, it sounded like a sweet offer, but I wouldn’t do that. Alexander makes John happy. All I want is to make him happy. I don’t care how I feel about Alexander, the second I remembered that, I couldn’t think of saying yes.”

Lafayette’s expression softened as he realized his mistake. “You mean that.. I’m sorry. I should’ve asked you before I just jumped to conclusions like that.”

Thomas smiled a bit. “It’s fine, I get it. I was afraid I was going to for a second there. But I won’t, no way.”

“Good.” Lafayette smiled.

“Are we cool?”

“We are.”

They shook hands and parted ways, both with a newfound respect for each other. Lafayette was beyond glad that Thomas was changing and Thomas found it refreshing to see this more human side of Lafayette. It was nice to see him making a mistake, too.

He found John outside of the school, talking a bit with Alexander, and smiled. “Hey, sunshine. Ready to go?”

John glanced over and smiled, kissing Alexander’s cheek before watching him leave with Lafayette. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

“Great. Let’s just get Lucy, then we can go.”

John nodded and followed him to his car, getting in the passenger’s seat and going to the preschool with Thomas.

When they got there, he parked in front of the school, waiting in the nonexistent line. “They haven’t let out yet, but if I go and drop you off, then come back, the line would be massive.”

“No, I get it.”

“Good.” Thomas smiled and kept the radio low. “So.. How are you feeling about that Lee guy being here? Do you want me to get him expelled?”

John thought for a second before shaking his head. “It’s not my choice to make. Ask Alexander about it, see what he thinks.” After all, Charles Lee was his bully and he didn’t want to make it seem like Alexander couldn’t stand up for himself.

“You know what he’ll say if I ask. You know he won’t take any help from me..”

John paused for a second before responding. “Right… I don’t know.. I’ll talk to him about this.”

“Alright..” He nodded and sighed, the car going quiet for a minute before Thomas put his hand on John’s knee.

“Not now..”

“I wasn’t planning on doing anything, don’t worry babe.” He leaned over and kissed his cheek, feeling him relax a bit.

“Sorry.. I’m just worried for Alex..”

“Don’t be sorry. You didn’t do a thing.”

John smiled and put his hand over Thomas’s, letting it stay where it was.

When the bell rang and the kids started coming out, Lucy was among those in the front, beaming as she saw John in the front seat of the car. Thomas opened the back door for her and she practically flew between the seats again, wrapping her arms tightly around John’s neck.

“Johnny!”

John smiled at that, his breathing perfectly fine, and pried her off, hugging her normally. “Hi, Lucy. I missed you, too this past week.”

“Why were you gone?” she asked with a whiny tone, her face pressed against his shoulder.

“I was having some time with Alexander. I’m sorry, princess. I promise I’ll get to see you all week.”

“Yay!” That seemed to easily fix whatever grudge she had against John and she let Thomas pluck her off and put her back into her car seat, buckling her in before getting into the front seat himself and beginning to drive off.

The entire drive home, Lucy talked to John nonstop about her previous week, making sure not to leave out any details, and he listened to every bit of it, nodding along and reacting where it was appropriate, until he received a phone call from an unknown number. He furrowed his eyebrows a bit. “Lucy, can you hold that thought for a second, please? I’m getting a phone call.”

“Aww… Okay…” she reluctantly agreed.

“Thanks, sweetie.” John smiled and answered the call. “Hello?..”

“Hey, Jack. It’s Martha. Don’t worry, I’m at a friend’s house, using their phone.”

“Hey, Martha.” He smiled widely. “What’s up?”

“Um… You have to talk to the boys. They’ve been… changing a bit and it’s freaking them out..”

“Oh..” It didn’t surprise him too much. He and Martha both started puberty at around 10 years old. But… It seemed so soon…

“Yeah.. And I don’t know how to explain it to them.. I’m sorry, I’ve been on every website there is and I’ve tried to give them the talk, but I can’t. I don’t know what I’m talking about and it’s just so awkward and… You know dad won’t do it.” He made John give Martha the talk when it was her time and John had to figure out for himself why his body was changing.

“What are you suggesting I do?..”

“I’m not asking you to come over. Not after last time.. But we’re all over here because dad’s friends are over at the house having a poker night,” John felt his stomach twist, “and I was hoping that maybe you could face time and talk to them?..”

John hardly had to think about that. “Yeah, of course. I’m on my way home, but I’ll call you in, maybe half an hour? Just to give myself a little time to prepare, you know?”

“Yeah, sure. Thank you and I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s fine. Call back in half an hour.”

“Will do. Bye.”

“Bye.” He hung up and sighed, glancing outside and seeing that they were at the building, just about to park.

“Everything alright?” Thomas asked.

“Yeah, just my brothers.. They’re, you know, changing and Martha wants me to talk to them.”

“Oh.. Isn’t it a little early?”

“No, this is about when I started. It’s normal.”

“Why are they changing?” Lucy piped up from the backseat.

John got out of the car, letting Thomas handle this.

“Um.. Let’s get you inside, then we can talk about this.”

“Okay.”

All three made their way into Thomas and Lucy’s apartment and sat in the living room, Thomas thinking for a few seconds before turning to his curious little sister.

“You know how me and Johnny look different from the guys in your class? How we’re taller and I have hair on my face and on my arms and legs where he doesn’t?”

“And your voices are lower?”

“Exactly.” He smiled. “Well, when they’re about 12 years old, maybe a little older or a little younger, they’ll start to change to look like us and.. other things. Like they’ll go more girl crazy, or boy crazy, like me,” John rolled his eyes and chuckled, “and they’ll probably want to be even weirder to get attention from the girls, or boys. It’s called puberty and everyone goes through it, but it’s different for girls.”

“How?”

“Um…” Okay, Thomas was a very sex positive person and was very okay with the idea of letting his little sister know about these kinds of things, even if she wasn’t going to be allowed to date until it didn’t matter anymore, but… “I don’t really know much about that one. Maybe Johnny can talk to you?..” After all, he did give Martha the same talk.

“Sure I can.” He paused for a second. “You know, I’m going to talk to my little brothers and sister about this. Why don’t I just tell you all at the same time?”

She nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Good. In the meantime, what do you usually do after school?”

“I get a snack and do my homework.” She hopped off of the couch and went into the kitchen.

Thomas sighed. “I don’t know how you do it… Talking to kids is hard…”

“It’s not that hard for me. They’re just like us, but smaller and they just haven’t learned certain things about life. I’m just teaching them, you know?”

Thomas nodded. “You’re really going into your element, teaching little kids.”

John smiled. “Yeah..”

Lucy came back with an apple and a juice box, placing them on the table before reaching into her backpack and pulling out her homework. She stood up at the table and began working on it, mumbling to herself and occasionally asking Thomas for help.

He helped her get to the answer, rather than just give her the answer, which she didn’t seem to like, but she let it be.

John just smiled and watched, not wanting to interrupt the harmony of the routine by interrupting Thomas or stealing Lucy’s attention.

About a minute or so after she finished her homework, John got the phone call. He accepted the face time and beamed as he saw his little brothers and sisters there, all sitting in a line.


	87. Chapter 87

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This does include John giving his siblings the talk

“Hi Jackie!” they all greeted in unison.

“Hey guys! You know why I’m talking to you, right?..”

They all nodded.

“Good. I’m sure you guys remember Lucy. She’s going to get the talk because she wants to know, too.”

They were all a bit more hesitant in their nodding. After a few times of bringing her over, they all had decided it would be best not to. Lucy had been far more spoiled back then than she was now.

“Great. I guess I’ll just start. So, when boys get to be about your age, usually a little older, their bodies start to change, like I’m sure you two have noticed.”

They both nodded.

“Right. You’ll start growing hair everywhere and you’ll get taller, probably taller than me, and your voices will get deeper.”

“Why?” James asked.

“It’s just a part of growing up. Your body will become more adult. It’s a little bit different for girls, though. For them, they also get taller and they grow more hair, not on their faces most of the time, but there are some differences between them and the guys. Like, for guys, you’re going to change between your legs. Things are going to look different and it’s weird, but it’s completely normal.” He didn’t want to get into too much detail with Lucy right there. He wasn’t sure where Thomas stood on that.

“I had a dream and my pants were wet when I woke up.. Like that?”

“Yeah, like that and size will change, there’ll be more hair. But it’s all just part of growing up.” He paused for a second before moving on. “For girls, something else changes. Mary, you might notice that your chest might start to hurt a little bit and it’ll begin to grow, so it’s more like Martha’s.”

“Nothing has happened yet..”

He nodded. “I know, but it probably will, soon. And there’s going to be something else.. Every month, you’re going to bleed down there. It’s called your period. And it might make your tummy hurt and you might feel a little sick, but that’s normal. And if a guy ever makes a joke about you being mad or upset because you’re on your period, you can hit them. And, if you get in trouble, make sure they call me because they’re not supposed to do that, but a lot of people think it’s okay.”

She nodded. “Why does it happen?..”

He glanced over at Thomas. “What am I not allowed to say around Lucy?”

“As long as you stick to girl things, its fine.”

“Great.” He turned back to the camera. “So, inside of you, there are these two things called your ovaries and they have eggs inside of them, which can become babies, under the right conditions… Every month, one of these eggs will leave and go to your uterus, where it waits to become a baby or not. Your body gets ready and makes things okay for the baby to form, if that happens. If it doesn’t, and it probably won’t for many, many years, your body will get rid of all of that extra stuff that it had and it comes out of you as blood.”

She scrunched her nose up. “Why can’t our bodies just get rid of the egg and only get ready if there’s a baby?”

“I don’t know. Nobody knows, actually. But it happens this way and, boys, I expect you to be very nice to Mary when this starts happening. And to Martha, when it’s her time again. They go through a lot of pain and we don’t get nearly that much suffering.”

“But the boys at school say that our suffering is dealing with them..”

John shook his head. “Their bodies are releasing parts of their organs every month and it’s like a mini birth all week long. Have you ever seen someone giving birth?”

They shook their heads.

“We’ll save that lesson for later. Anyways, it hurts a lot. Imagine pushing a melon through one of the tiny rubber bands on the ends of Martha’s braids.”

She pulled one out of their hair and showed them.

“Imagine pushing a melon through that. It looks like it’ll break, right?”

They nodded. “Girls do that when they have babies. And the part that keeps the baby from coming out too early is smaller than that and it hurts when it opens, but it opens for your period. They deal with that every month.”

They were both in shock.

“Why do people still have babies?”

“Because women are strong enough. And, like a rubber band, their holes will shrink back down and fix themselves in time, so it’s hard to see that anything happened. Think about it. Has anyone ever accidentally hit you in your crotch?”

They way that they squirmed answered their question. It was an inevitable part of a boy’s life.

“Now imagine going through pain about half as bad, but for a whole week. Wouldn’t you be upset too?”

They both nodded quickly.

“Exactly. So, whenever you hear a boy making fun of a girl for being on their period, I want you guys to stop them because it’s wrong and it’s rude and it’s just making a bad thing worse.”

“Okay.”

“We’ll do that.”

“Good. Does anyone have any questions about this?”

Mary raised her hand. “What makes a baby?”

John looked down. “Lucy, you’re going to have to step away. Tommy doesn’t want you to learn about this stuff until you’re older.”

“Why?” she whined.

“Because he thinks it’ll be better for you. I promise you’ll learn all of this when you’re old enough.”

“Okay..” She hopped down and went to her room, Thomas going with her while John explained where exactly babies came from.

“Sorry, Lucy. You’re a big girl, but you have to wait until it’s your turn to know all of this stuff.”

“Why?”

“Because you have to learn some things in school before you’re ready to hear about this.”

“Oh..” She pouted and sat on her bed, kicking her legs. “Are you and Johnny going to get married?”

He chuckled. “I wish… But probably not..”

“Why? Don’t you love him?”

“I do.” He sat beside her. “But you remember Alexander, right? Johnny’s other boyfriend?”

She nodded.

“Well, Johnny loves both of us, but he can’t marry both of us. It’s against the law for him to marry two people. And it would be unfair if he married me, but not Alex or the other way around. So, as long as all three of us are in a relationship, we’re not going to get married.”

“Can’t you make Alexander go away?.. I want you to be happy with Johnny…”

“Sweetie, that’s wrong. Alexander makes Johnny happy. And I can be happy with him, even if we’re not married. We can act like we’re all married, even if we’re not actually married.”

“Okay..” She seemed content with that answer.

Thomas kissed her cheek. “Do you want to go with Susan for a bit? So me and Johnny can have some private time?”

She nodded and smiled. “Susie is lots of fun and her mommy is so nice.”

“Great!” He smiled and watched as she scrambled to pack an overnight bag. She knew that private time meant that she wasn’t coming back until early morning.

Once she was ready, Thomas walked back into the living room with her.

“So, the penis goes into the vagina-” John cut himself off as he saw Thomas and Lucy out of the corner of his eye, chuckling awkwardly. “Sorry.”

“The what goes to Virginia?”

“Nothing, Lucy. Come on, let’s go.” Thomas playfully glared at John as he left, the freckled boy smiling sheepishly back at him and continuing his lesson once they were gone, the door shut and locked behind them.

Lucy stopped asking when she realized she wasn’t going to get an answer and just went with her brother to her friend’s house, smiling widely as she was let in. She gave Thomas a hug and a kiss on the cheek before letting him leave.

By the time he got back, John was saying goodbye to his siblings, blowing kisses at the screen for all of them before ending the call. It was hard, but he didn’t want to make them do it.

“How are you feeling, sunshine?..”

That’s when the tears fell loose. “They’re growing up.. They’re growing up so fast and I’m not there to see it,” he sniffled.

Thomas sat beside him and pulled him into his lap, holding him close. “I’m sorry..”

John shook his head and glanced up at him, his eyes bloodshot and his cheeks shiny and red. “Don’t be. Please, don’t feel guilty about this.” He wiped a few tears away. “This isn’t your fault.. You may have told him, but you didn’t know.. And I know you wouldn’t have said a word if you knew this could happen.. It isn’t your fault.” He gave Thomas’s lips the quickest peck before resting his face against his chest, crying softly again.

He missed his siblings everyday. He missed being able to hold them and held them and care for them.. He missed being what his mom would’ve been for them. And the fact that he couldn’t made him feel like he was disappointing her memory.. It made his chest tighten and his head hurt and his throat swell up. Losing them… Making them lose the closest thing they had to their mom.. It made him feel like he was losing her all over again.

But he’d never tell Thomas that. He knew he blamed himself for something he didn’t know would happen, for something he didn’t know was a secret.

And he’d never tell Alexander. If they got into a fight, John was almost sure that it would be used as ammo, whether or not Alexander meant for it to happen.

And he never got the chance to tell anyone else, not even Maria. He’d already burdened her with his presence and she was already so busy with Susan. He didn’t want to add his problems to her agenda.

So it was a pain that he kept inside, a pain that ate at him everyday.

It was half an hour before he finally was able to stop crying, wiping his eyes and moving out of Thomas’s lap. “Thank you..”

“It’s fine.” Thomas didn’t know why it actually hurt him as badly as it did, but he, of course, had his theories. It’d kill him if Lucy was taken away from him for any reason. She was the only thing that really kept him grounded, kept him from doing anything too stupid for the past year.

He smoked, but he’d never do drugs. He fought, but he’d never do it for entertainment and he’d never kill. Those were lines that someone like John Jay was willing to cross, with nothing much to lose, but Thomas had too much to give up.

He wanted to stay tough and say he didn’t want to lose his future when Alexander had reported him, but he knew better. He knew that in the world they lived in, all he would’ve gotten was a slap on the wrist, maybe a trial, if Alexander had gone into more detail. But he also knew that wouldn’t have had much of an effect on his future. Hell, guys his age got away with dragging unconscious girls behind dumpsters or men were able to walk away innocent because the girl was wearing a lacy thong, but Thomas would have never been able to tell Lucy why he had to go away for a while, on the slight chance he did get in major trouble.

He could live with what he would’ve done, but he could never live with himself if Lucy found out what kind of a guy her older brother was. And he could never live with himself if he did something stupid enough to get them separated.


	88. Chapter 88

The pair spent the next few hours in quiet, watching movies and letting them serve as background noise as they silently comforted each other through holding and squeezing hands, gentle touches, and tiny kisses.

John was the first one to make a different move once he was feeling up to it, turning to Thomas and slowly leaning in for a kiss.

Thomas gladly accepted and returned the gentle kiss, putting a hand on John’s waist and still holding his other one.

When he pulled away, John sighed and looked at Thomas, apologetically. “I’m sorry this is how we had to spend the last few hours.. Thanks for comforting me..”

He shook his head and smiled softly, kissing John’s forehead. “Don’t be sorry. I needed it just as much as you did, okay? I know you could feel it.”

John nodded a bit. He hadn’t thought about it much, to be honest. Neither of them were thinking too much about comforting each other. They just knew what the other needed and, upon realizing that, it made John smiled. “Yeah, I guess you’re right..” They just knew sometimes.

Thomas saw it a bit more clearly, being a natural romantic. He didn’t mind that John didn’t realize he needed the comfort, at least that he didn’t consciously realize it. “I think it’s sweet that you just know.. Deep inside.”

“Thanks.” He kissed his cheek. “I still feel kind of bad.. I should’ve realized that you needed support.”

He shook his head. “I’m just like you, baby. I keep it all in when it comes to Lucy.” He’d have to be blind to not see how torn up John was whenever it came to his siblings. Even when Mary was at their school, he could see right through John’s huge smile. Deep down, he knew that it was only a temporary thing.

John wasn’t as aware of his subconscious thoughts, but he felt them and he obeyed their wishes gladly, comforting people when they needed it and putting up a fake face to those who would appreciate it. Thomas was right. Every time he saw his siblings, it tore him up to know that it was only temporary, but he didn’t dare let them know how devastated he really was. Every time he saw them was a blessing.

Thomas kissed his forehead. “Are you alright?..”

“I’m okay.” He took a deep breath and grounded himself again. There was no use in crying over it, even if it made him feel a little bit better.

“Don’t forget, I’m always here for you if you need to cry or talk.. I’m your boyfriend, I’m glad to help you at any time.”

“Thank you..” He smiled softly.

Thomas kissed his forehead. “Do you want to just watch the movie?..”

John shrugged a bit. “I want to ignore the movie and make out with my amazing boyfriend..”

He smiled and cupped his cheek. “We can definitely do that, as long as you’re sure.”

“I’m very sure.” He smiled and leaned in, kissing him until they were interrupted by Thomas’s phone ringing.

At the end of his own day, Lafayette drove Alexander home, then went right back to school. After all, there was drama that day. As successful as they were with the first musical, Eacker was dying to put on another one and it was the first day of drama practice.

He showed up at the classroom and took his usual seat, looking around the classroom. Did Thomas forget?.. That was weird. He never forgot. Maybe he was just late. Everyone else was there, though. Frances, Martha, Theodosia, even Lauren.

When Eacker showed up half an hour later, Lafayette knew that Thomas forgot. He pulled out his phone and texted him. [Did you forget about drama?]

“Sorry, sunshine.” Thomas pulled out his phone and checked the text, his eyes widening a bit. “I forgot I had drama today…”

“That’s okay,” John assured him. “You can go and I can get some art done or something.” He smiled, but Thomas shook his head.

“No, why don’t you come with me?”

“Go with you?”

“Yeah. I don’t see why not.” He shrugged. “Just to watch us, then we can go get something to eat together.”

John thought for a second before nodding. “Yeah, sure.”

“Great.” Thomas smiled and walked out with him. At least he could remember something.

They got in the car and went to the school together, Thomas’s arm around John’s waist once they got out and began walking inside.

“I feel like we’re missing someone..” Eacker muttered, counting over everyone present. “Where’s-”

“Right here, sir. Sorry I’m late.” Thomas took his seat and John sat right beside him.

“Ah! Great, you did show up. And you brought our star.”

Their… Their what?

“I, uh.. I didn’t tell him yet,” Thomas chuckled awkwardly.  

“Tell me what?..” John asked cautiously, a nagging feeling in the back of his head telling him that this was Lafayette’s doing.

Thomas looked at Eacker, expecting him to say the news.

“Well, since our spring musical went so well in February, I had the idea that you could join this musical and your art club can get some more funding.”

Oh, wow.. “That sounds amazing, sir, but I’m no singer..” John chuckled awkwardly.

Thomas shook his head. “He’s being modest. He has a lovely voice.”

“I know. Lafayette already told me.”

He knew it. Lafayette always had something to do with it, whatever it was. “I’m no performer..”

“Well, that’s what practice is for,” Eacker assured. “It won’t be the starring role, but it’ll be close.”

They even already had the musical chosen, mainly because it was the only other musical that they had.

Eacker handed everyone scripts to Be More Chill.

John glanced at the front page before flipping through a bit. “Is my role already decided?..”

“Pretty much,” Thomas said. “Only yours, but we have some roles in mind for all of us.”

That being said, it wasn’t Thomas that John was paired with to practice roles with, but Francis.

“Were you in on this too?” he asked as Francis looked for a good spot to start.

“I knew about it, but it was completely up to those three.” She pointed over at Thomas and Lafayette, who were talking to Eacker. “I think it’s cool, though. Oh, turn to this page.” She showed him a number and he turned to it, looking down the page.

“Why is this all the same character?..”

“Duh! It’s a solo.” She smiled. “I want to see what your voice is like. Can you mimic me?”

“Uh, I can try..” he said with a nervous smile. “As long as you don’t go too high.”

“I won’t, don’t worry.” She sang a few lines and John sang them back, a bit off, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed with time.

“You’re a natural!” she praised. “I mean, I think you can really do this.”

“Thanks, Francis..” he chuckled.

She smiled and did a few lines herself, thinking about a few different character who she could be. There was, obviously, Jeremy Heere, but she was sure that Lafayette would get the main role again. Then, there was Rich, but she wasn’t sure she could hit some of those belting notes. She liked the girl characters, but she wasn’t very interested in auditioning for them.

“How do you think he’ll do?” Lafayette asked, reading through the script. The only experience he had with the musical was the one time he’d watched it with Alexander, but he’d had the same experiences with Heathers.

“I think he’ll do fine. He’s got a great voice, he just needs to figure that out,” Thomas said with a shrug. He had no doubt that John could pull it off, but he needed to find the confidence himself.

“You’re right. Oh, here it is,” Lafayette said, pointing at the page.

“Great. Let’s start from right there.” Thomas pointed out a line and they began practicing.

Just like with Heathers, Eacker stopped them and took Thomas and Lafayette to the front of the class to practice a quick song.

As everyone filed into the auditorium, Lafayette sat cross legged on the stage and looked at Eacker for the signal to start the scene. Once everyone was seated, he gave it and Lafayette began the scene, tapping on his head.

“Hello?.. Are you on?..”

Eacker called the next line. “Jeremy, are you talking to yourself in there?”

“I.. Guess I am?..” Lafayette shrugged and pulled out his phone, grinning as the music for the song started. “C-C-C-Come on, c-c-c-come on, go- Ow!” he held the side of his head and stood up as Thomas came out from behind the curtain.

“What did we say about masturbation?” Once again, Thomas was confident in his words, even without a script.

Lafayette held the script at his waist and rubbed the side of his head with his other hand. “I was just… checking my email.”

Thomas scoffed. “You can’t lie to me, Jeremy. I’m inside your brain. Now, we’re going to devise a system. I’m going to tally every time you think about sex and that is how many pushups you do. If this morning is an indicative sample, you’ll have pecs in no time.”  

“Good morning, Jeremy,” Eacker once again called from off stage, Thomas raising an eyebrow at him before looking back at Lafayette.

“That is the source of your genetic material?”

“That’s my dad, yeah,” Lafayette responded.

“We’d better double those pushups,” Thomas muttered as he handed Lafayette his backpack.

Lafayette took it with a sigh and turned back to the crowd. “Still not gonna be the cool guy, but maybe not so left out. Of all the characters at school, I might be the one who the story’s about.” He began smiling hopefully. “Now that someone’s helping me out!”

Thomas put a hand on his shoulder. “Now get ready to more than survive.”

Francis, Lauren, and Eacker joined in with Thomas as the ensemble. “Naa na na na na na na naa na na!”

“All in all a not-too-heinous day,” Lafayette sang as he walked around the stage.

“Naa na na na na na na naa na na!”

“Walk the halls with purpose as I swagger on my way,” he continued, adding a hip flick for emphasis.

“Hey! Hey! Hey!”

“Feeling crisp and high and clean! I head to drama practice with Christine!” As the song ended, Lafayette smiled and bowed as their classmates cheered, Thomas doing the same.  

John sighed. “I have a lot to live up to..”

Francis patted his back reassuringly. “You can do it.”


	89. Chapter 89

Once drama practice ended, Lafayette decided to surprise Hercules, getting in their car and picking up Rosie before going over to his place, texting Sarah at stoplights.

[Hey, Sarah : ) Would it be okay if I went over and surprised Hercules?]

[Aw, how cute! Of course you can!]

They smiled and continued driving until he hit another red light, just a minute from Hercules’s house. [Great! Thank you!]

Sarah smiled and went to get Hercules out from the front. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I can take things from here,” she assured him.

Hercules looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?..”

“Of course I am. I ran the shop all the time when I was pregnant with you and you turned out just fine. Why don’t you go and work on that commission you have in the back room?”

He shrugged. “If you say so.” He got up and went to the back room, Lafayette coming into the shop not three minutes later.

Sarah smiled and held her arms out for Rosie’s carrier, which Lafayette had decorated to just look like a cute bag with a mesh window for Rosie.

Lafayette happily handed her over, the kitten inside mewling loudly for attention. “Hush, love. You’ll be out in a second,” they assured.

Sarah followed through and put her carrier on the counter, letting her out and watching as she walked around. “I’ll take good care of her, Taffy, don’t worry.”

“I don’t doubt it for a second,” Lafayette replied.

Sarah smiled and pointed to the back room. “He’s in there working on a commission. Careful not to scare him too badly.”

“I’ll do my best.” They smiled before heading to the backroom, sneaking up behind Hercules as he admired his own work, and wrapped their arms around his waist. “Hello, mon amour,” they sang out.

Hercules jumped a bit at the arms, but smiled as he realized who it was, taking one of Lafayette’s arms and spinning them in front of him. “Hello there, cutie.” He smiled and kissed his datemate. “To what do I owe this wonderful surprise?”

Lafayette shrugged. “I just wanted to see you,” they hummed as they looked past him. “Your piece looks nice.” Of course, it was another prom dress.

“Thanks. It’s a little hard because the girl that’s commissioning me for it doesn’t want to see it, so I have to work with her friends and her mom, who think she wants something different.”

Lafayette nodded. “That sounds tough… But it looks great.”

Hercules smiled and kissed their cheek. “Thanks, baby.. Why don’t you sit over there and look pretty while you wait for me? Then we can go hang out in my room.”

“That sounds perfect,” Lafayette hummed as they took a seat where Hercules pointed, watching him work. It was always an incredible sight to them. The crease in his brow, the way he pursed his lips, the surprisingly nimble movements of his fingers over the fabric. Lafayette was always enchanted by seeing Hercules in deep focus. And it paid off. It seemed to Lafayette that he was putting the final details onto the piece and any girl would be lucky to wear it. The navy blue halter neck top was lined with pearls around the top of the skirt and the neckline and the skirt seemed to be a few layers of tulle, with more pearls in the top layer.

They smiled to themself, almost wishing they’d be able to wear one to prom. But, as much as Lafayette’s gender seemed to change and their related anxiety was unpredictable, it didn’t seem like a good idea.

“Alright, I think it’s done. What do you think, baby?” Hercules asked with a smile, glancing over at Lafayette.

Lafayette smiled. “I think any girl would be lucky to wear it.

“Thanks, baby.” Hercules went over and kissed Lafayette’s cheek. “Do you want to hang out upstairs?”

“Of course,” Lafayette said as they hopped off of the counter, grabbing their bag. They followed Hercules up to his room and sat with him on his bed.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure of my beautiful datemate’s company?”

Lafayette shrugged. “I just wanted to see you after drama practice.”

Hercules smiled at that. “Oh, are you guys doing another musical?”

Lafayette nodded. “Yes. We’re doing Be More Chill and we’re dragging John into this.”

That made Hercules laugh. John was a lot of things, but an actor.. Well, he was good at lying. “Thinking about it, he might be a good actor.”

“That’s what Thomas said,” Lafayette nodded.

Hercules chuckled and shifted, sitting with his legs crossed. “And I assume you’re the starring role again?”

“Well, we haven’t auditioned yet, but I’m not planning on it. I watched the musical with Alexander and I really related to this one other character.” They paused for a second. “Well, I didn’t really relate to him, but I do think he was funny his character is so different from Veronica and I really want to do that role. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair for me to star in both musicals.”

Hercules nodded a bit. That was fair. “What about John?”

“We chose his role. Now, it’s about whether or not he can keep up at auditions.”

“Right..” Hercules muttered, smiling after a few seconds. “I think he can do it.”

“So do I.” Lafayette smiled and leaned against Hercules.

Sarah appeared in the doorway and knocked, Rosie in her arms. “Hey, boys. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

Hercules shook his head. “No, you’re fine. What’s up?”

“I was hoping I could talk to Taffy about prom. Maybe get some details about your promposal,” she teased.

Hercules chuckled awkwardly. “Um.. I haven’t done that yet..”

Sarah looked at him and blinked a few times, surprised. “Oh.. Well, would you mind if I stole them anyways?”

“Uh.. I guess not.” He shrugged and looked at Lafayette.

Lafayette kissed Herc’s cheek, then got up. “I’ll be back soon.”

Hercules smiled and nodded, watching his datemate leave and their kitten walk over instead. “Hey, Rosie..” He scooped her up and put her on the mattress. “At least you’re not always picking on me,” he said jokingly. He knew his mother meant well, after all, and she would back down if he asked. Hercules also knew Lafayette deserved a proper promposal.

Rosie mewled loudly in response, jumping into Hercules’s lap and standing with her paws against his chest. This human was her parent, too. She wanted to see him happy.

And her tiny attempts worked. Hercules smiled and scratched between her ears. “Thanks, Rosie.”

She meowed once again and laid down in his lap.

Hercules sighed and leaned against the wall as he ran his hand over her back. He hoped Lafayette was happy… He hoped he’d let him know if he wasn’t.


	90. Chapter 90

“Sarah, why do you insist on being so mean to him?” Lafayette asked, his tone almost whining. “He is your son and I’m sure he feels awful about not promposing yet.”

“Well, I have to throw him off of our scent somehow,” she explained. “What if he finds out we’re planning something because I’m going easy on him.”

Lafayette chuckled and rolled his eyes playfully. “I see your point, but you don’t have to be so harsh on him. What did you need me for?”

“I wanted you to see what I had so far here.” She brought Lafayette over to her room and pulled a mannequin out of the closet, the outfit on it making them smiled.

“It’s beautiful so far,” was the first thing Lafayette stated. It was exactly what they had imagined, the navy blue and black marbled fabric perfectly capturing the effect of the starry night theme. The jacket was a fairly typical tuxedo jacket and Sarah had a white tuxedo shirt and black pants with it, but the real star was the rest of the ensemble. The vest was made of the same marbled material as the jacket and attached to a layered skirt with an open front, if Lafayette would’ve been up to it on prom night.

“I just had to add some sparkle for the star of the night,” Sarah stated, adjusting the skirt around the mannequin.

“It looks amazing as it is,” Lafayette replied with a wide smile. “Thank you..”

“Of course! So, what are your plans?”

Lafayette smiled and went over them with her again. It was a simple plan, but they were sure Hercules would’ve adored it.

Once they had the plan down, Lafayette went back to Hercules, sitting beside him and Rosie.

“So, what did my mom need from you?”

“Just some advice on a design she’s working on,” they shrugged.

Hercules nodded and put his arm around Lafayette, kissing his cheek. “Sounds like my ma.. So, you said you guys were doing another musical? Why don’t you show me what it is?”

Lafayette chuckled at that. “Well, there’s no recording of it, but we can listen to the soundtrack.”

“That sounds perfect,” Hercules responded with a smile. “That way, I don’t have to take my eyes off of you.”

Lafayette blushed and leaned against him, pulling up the soundtrack on his phone and listening to it with Hercules, singing along to the role he planned on auditioning for, Hercules laughing at the lines.

“This is a lot different from Heathers,” Hercules commented after the first song alone.

Lafayette just nodded and enjoyed time with their little family, wishing things could always be that peaceful. Or, more accurately, he wished that people would stop destroying their peace.

In the morning, Lafayette looked through the steadily growing wardrobe he kept at Hercules’s house and was stuck with a decision. Would he wear a skirt and risk Charles Lee’s taunting or would he wear pants and let the bully win?

He hardly had to think before pulling on a skirt, wearing a sweater over it and being content with his look. He grabbed his bag and went downstairs with Rosie for breakfast.

Hercules glanced at him as he came down and furrowed his eyebrows a bit. “Are you sure you should wear a skirt with Lee around?..”

Sarah looked at Lafayette, worriedly. “Did something happen at school?”

Lafayette sighed. There was no way out of it now. “There’s this guy, Charles Lee, he flipped up my skirt and said it was my fault for dressing like a girl. But I’m okay. He didn’t hurt me and I’m going to just wear what I want.”

Hercules nodded slowly. “I’m just worried he’ll take it as some kind of challenge and try to hurt you..”

Hugh nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I know how teenage boys are, Laf. If he doesn’t try to hurt you, he’ll continue to taunt you.”

“Oh, hush, you two. I’m sure Taffy can take anyone they want in a fight and they’ll be perfectly fine defending themself against some little bully, isn’t that right?”

Lafayette opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Hugh.

“Honey, I don’t doubt that, but I don’t think Laf should be taking the chance. What’s the point in chancing a fight when they could easily avoid one?”

The bickering went on and on for at least a good minute before Lafayette stood up, his appetite lost.

“Listen.. I’m going to wear a skirt because I want to wear a skirt. Not because I think I can take Charles Lee in a fight or to taunt him. Not because I don’t care if I get hurt or to make a statement. I’m going to wear a skirt because I feel good wearing them and no high school bully is going to change that.” He picked up his plate and started towards the kitchen, stopping as he heard Hugh’s voice.

“Leave it.. I’ll get it later, don’t worry.”

“Thank you.” He put his plate back at his spot before walking out, walking to school. It wouldn’t have been fair if he’d left Hercules without a ride because he was upset, so he figured it was better that he walked as well. Not that he minded. It was a lovely day.

The winter blues were starting to melt away and the brightness of spring was shining through the clouds, the sun warming things up just enough for Lafayette to be okay without leggings, but not too much for a sweater. The weather was perfect and Lafayette all but lost himself in it’s warm embrace.

Trees were turning green again and flowers were poking up from the ground. The heavy silence of winter was gone and the springtime buzz was making itself well known. The only regret Lafayette had at the moment was not walking to school everyday, not taking the time to enjoy the returning beauty of the season, the wonderful transition between all things being still and all things bursting with life as everything warmed up and brightened up once again.

Hell, it was so beautiful that Lafayette didn’t even notice he was being followed until he reached his locker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To help out a broke college student, you can ask for commissions at slashgashotaku@gmail.com. I also do free requests.


	91. Chapter 91

“Aw, she’s so big now!” Frances commented, kneeling beside Lafayette. “Are you allowed to bring Rosie to school or did you plan on hiding her in your locker?” she asked jokingly, petting the purring cat between her ears.

Lafayette looked down, surprised to see that Frances wasn’t joking about his cat. “I didn’t even notice she followed me all the way here,” he chuckled awkwardly. “I guess I was just lost in my thoughts.. I should get her home..”

Frances shook her head, picking up the cat in question. “No, there’s no time. You’re going to end up being late for class or missing first period or something.”

“Well.. What do you propose I do with her?”

She shrugged, thinking for a few seconds more before giving him a proper answer. “Well, there is always Eacker.”

That was right. Eacker wouldn’t mind watching her, would he? Rosie was such a good cat. 

… 

Lafayette loved her and wasn’t that what really mattered?

“I can try… Can I have her back?”

Frances tutted, but handed over her furry friend, who gladly jumped into her mother’s arms, purring against his chest.

Lafayette smiled and made his way to Eacker’s class, ignoring the strange looks he got.

“Mr Eacker?” he asked as he reached the classroom.

Eacker glanced over and was just as surprised as one would expect to see a cat in his student’s arms. “Lafayette, are you aware that you have a cat?”

“Yes sir, I am very well aware. She followed me from home and I didn’t notice until I reached my locker. Would you mind if I left her in here?.. She already ate and used her litter box and I could walk her again during lunch. I just don’t want to be late for first period..”

He smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, Laf… You know I would, but I’m allergic to cats.. You could try Adams. I know he can be a bit rough on the outside, but maybe he’ll understand.”

Lafayette hardly doubted that, but he did not want to argue with Eacker. “Thank you, sir. I’ll try..” What was the worst that could happen? They couldn’t take away his cat. At least, not over his dead body.

“Mr Adams?”

Adams looked over as Lafayette called his name and there was something unusual in his eyes as they landed on the cat in Lafayette’s arms. Was that… joy?…

“I’m sorry, but my cat followed me to school and I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t even notice.. Would it be alright if I kept her in here for the day? She’s trained and I could take her outside during lunch. Or, I could take her home, but I wouldn’t want to be late for class.. I’m just afraid that another teacher would see her and send me home with her or get me in trouble and I didn’t want to skip class to take her home..” That was about half true, half Lafayette not wanting to get yelled at.

“Well..” Adams began. “I wouldn’t mind having her here. I’m actually quite fond of cats. What’s her name?”

“Rosie,” Lafayette responded with a smile, feeling a bit of hope. “She doesn’t scratch or bite, but she does like to crawl up people’s legs, which can hurt.. If you shoo her away, she’d understand what that meant.” Alexander loved her and never hurt her, but he did need some time away when Lafayette was gone.

“I wouldn’t mind that. Of course you can leave her in here. Let’s see..” he looked around the floor and got up, walking to a box of copy paper. “Here we go.” He opened the top, finding it empty, and placed it behind his desk. “She can stay here.”

Lafayette walked over and put Rosie down in the box.

She was content, which was a good sign, but she also watched Lafayette as he stepped away, mewling for him.

The second Lafayette put his finger to his lip, though, she became silent.

“I don’t see many cats this well trained,” Adams commented.

Lafayette shrugged. “People underestimate positive reinforcement. Thank you so much for this..”

“It’s no problem. Thank you for asking instead of just leaving.”

Lafayette nodded and left the room, going to class with a weight lifted off of his chest.

John walked into class with Thomas and Alexander that morning, expecting the usual sour demeanor of Mr John Adams to ruin his life, but.. What he got was quite the opposite.

“Good morning, class. I’ve noticed a drop in energy levels in this class,” he began.

This was it, John believed. Adams was going to kill them all.

“And I think it’d be beneficial if you all had a day of rest.”

Immediately, the entire class began buzzing with hushed voices, questioning everything they knew.

Was this some kind of test? Did Adams finally crack? Is that poor hooker ever going to enjoy sex again?

Alexander walked over and smacked Thomas after that remark, Thomas just laughing and John just watching it happen.

Everyone’s questions were answered as a calico cat made its way out from behind the desk and over to Alexander, hopping into his lap.

“Hey,” he whined, shooing her off.

Rosie mewled, displeased, but listened and hopped over to John instead, sitting with him.

Adams just smiled and did some work on his computer, letting the class do as they pleased.

For the most part, homework flew out and was being finished as a collective, no matter what subject or which teacher it was from.

John was almost as shocked to see everyone working in harmony as he was to see Adams smiling, but he wasn’t about to question and potentially ruin it. Instead, he grabbed his phone and listened to a few voicemails from James, absentmindedly petting down Rosie’s back as he did.

“John, call me back when you get this message. I got a call about displaying some of your work at a completely LGBT artist show.”

“John, about the show, it’s going to be held in a pride festival next month. Please call back.”

Just like that, John was sold. He called James, smiling to himself in anticipation.


	92. Chapter 92

“I see you got my messages,” James stated as he answered.

“Yep. I’m so in. When is it and what do I have to do?”

“I believe it’s the second weekend in April and anything pride related.”

Of course, everything had its downsides. “The second weekend?..” He muttered. Thomas’s birthday was that Sunday.

“Yeah. Is there a problem?”

John glanced over at Thomas for a split second before shaking his head. “Um.. Can we talk about this later? I really want to go, but I have something going on that weekend..”

“Sure. You have until the end of the week to make up your mind.”

End of the week… Well, it wasn’t ideal, but it was better than nothing. “Alright. I’ll get back to you soon.”

“Great.” James hung up.

John sighed and put his phone back in his pocket. He could worry about that later.. He spent the rest of class getting ahead on some homework and sketching up a few ideas, assuming he’d decide to go to the show.

Once class ended, John picked up Rosie and put her on the ground despite her displeased growling and began walking out with Thomas and Alexander.

“Anything exciting coming up? I heard you talking on the phone with that James guy,” Thomas asked.

“Um.. Maybe.. I haven’t decided whether or not I want to go yet.”

John’s hesitation, though subtle, raised flags for both Thomas and Alexander.

“Why?” Alexander asked, getting straight to the point.

“Well.. If you guys must know, the show happens to be on the same weekend as a very important day in April.”

“420?” Alexander asked, jokingly.

John tutted. “No, I gave that up already.”

Alexander looked up at him, shocked, making John laugh.

“I’m kidding! I promise I’ve never done drugs before. Just alcohol.”

“Sunshine, you can not decline a show just because of my birthday,” Thomas stated. “I know you love doing what you do and it’s how you make a living.”

“But it’s your birthday,” John argued. “I can’t just miss your birthday.”

Thomas shrugged. “We can celebrate another time, if you really want.”

“I don’t know..” John muttered. “Are you sure you’re okay with it?..”

Thomas smiled and kissed his cheek. “Of course I am. Now, get to class.”

“Fine..” John smiled before turning to Alexander. “I’ll see you guys at lunch.” He leaned down and gave him a quick, but loving kiss before leaving to his own class, leaving Alexander smiling softly.

“Come on,” Thomas called as he walked into the classroom. “We have class, remember?”

Alexander tutted and followed him in, sitting in the back with him and Laf. “Why did you bring Rosie?” he asked his brother.

“She followed me from Herc’s house..” he admitted sheepishly. “I got upset because they were arguing over what I should wear and I guess I was too distracted to notice her.”

Alexander nodded. “What happened?..”

He sighed. “I told them about what happened yesterday in the hall.. Hugh and Herc were arguing that I should play it safe and wear pants, but Sarah was arguing that I should show him who’s boss. I’m not really on board with either, to be honest. I just want to wear what I want to wear, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it..” If Alexander was being completely honest, he agreed with Hugh and Hercules, but he wasn’t about to try and tell Lafayette what to do. “She tried to climb on my lap. Then, she went to John when I shooed her away.”

That made Lafayette smile. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.. She didn’t like that, though.”

Lafayette chuckled and Alexander figured he’d lightened the mood enough to ask his next question.

“Are you still mad at Herc?..”

Lafayette’s smile was quick to fade and he shook his head. “No.. But he has the same problem that you do.. Whether or not I am capable of defending myself, I don’t want you guys standing up for me like some damsel in distress. Unless I ask for your help, I don’t want it. Usually because I don’t need it.”

“Sorry…” Alexander muttered. “I know you’re not a damsel in distress. I know you can defend yourself. You’re my brother, though.. You’re my brother and you’ve always been there for me and you’ve always tried to protect me when I got in trouble, even when my thank you was just spitting in your face. You can’t blame me for wanting to protect you.”

Lafayette shrugged. “I guess..” Sure, he could see where he was coming from, but Alexander actually needed the help when Lafayette gave it. “Just.. Stop treating me like I can’t defend myself. Stop standing up for me against Hercules. Your method of taking on a problem heads on isn’t his way, okay? Just because he’s not doing it your way doesn’t make it wrong.”

“Okay.. I’ll stop..” Alexander would be lying if he said he wasn’t a bit hurt, but Lafayette was clearly hurting even more.


	93. Chapter 93

The two were silent for the rest of the class, tension thick enough to keep Thomas from trying to talk to either of them, too. Once class was over, they left and began making their way to lunch, not seeing the bully that stood against the wall.

Charles Lee stuck his foot out and tripped Lafayette as he passed him, laughing as the Frenchman fell on his face.

“Watch where you’re going. Next time you fall, you could break a nail,” he sneered, his teasing interrupted by someone tapping his shoulder. He tutted and turned around.

“Next time you pick on my friend, I’ll break your face,” Francis snarled, she and the other two girls pushing past Lee to get to Lafayette.

“I’m okay,” he assured, getting to his feet. “I’m fine, Francis. I know better than to let a child like him bug me.” Lafayette dusted himself off and sighed. “Can I sit with you guys at lunch?”

They all shared a look.

“Of course you can,” Theodosia assured. “Come on, let’s go.” The four walked together to the cafeteria, leaving Thomas and Alexander behind.

The latter glanced behind them nervously.

“What are you looking at?” Charles Lee snarled, chuckling as Alexander jumped out of his skin. “Don’t think I forgot about you. That little bitch is just so much easier to pick on. It doesn’t fight back, like you used to.”

Thomas glared and put his arm around Alexander’s shoulders, leading him away. “Ignore him. You know John and I won’t let him do a thing.”

John and I. It was almost like Thomas was implying that he’d protect Alexander too.. But that was ridiculous, right?

John was already waiting in the cafeteria, Hercules coming in soon after and sitting across from him. “Hey, man. Where’s everyone else?”

“Um..” Hercules began. “I think Laf and I got in a fight this morning.. I thought they shouldn’t wear a skirt because of Lee and my parents kind of got involved. My ma said Laf should wear what they want because they can kick Lee’s ass, but my old man said Laf shouldn’t wear it and just avoid the fight in the first place. They got up and left and I haven’t heard from them since… Not even a text or something, so I assume we’re in the middle of a fight..”

John nodded. “I see… You both have good points and all, but I think Laf should wear what they want because they want to, not because of some bully.”

“That’s what Laf said before leaving..”

“Well… You know Lafayette. And I know both of you. You two should just talk this out before this does to much damage to your relationship.”

Hercules nodded. “I see what you mean.. Alright.”

“Hey, sunshine,” Thomas greeted, kissing John’s cheek before sitting with the two, Alexander sitting on the other side of John.

“Hey, guys.” John kissed Thomas’s cheek before turning to Alexander, tilting his boyfriend’s face up. “Kiss?”

Alexander nodded and visibly relaxed as John pressed his lips to his in a gentle kiss, kissing back until John pulled away.

“Did Lee bug you again? Do you want me to make him stop?” John asked, keeping his voice gentle.

Alexander shook his head. “No.. Don’t fight for me. Not against Lee.. I know it’s silly and you could probably really hurt him, but.. I don’t know.. I know what he’s capable of.”

John nodded. “You don’t need to explain yourself. I get it. If you don’t want me to fight, you don’t want me to fight and I won’t. But, it’s like we said before, if he hurts you badly, I’m going to get involved.”

“Fine..” Alexander muttered. That much, he knew he couldn’t stop John from doing, no matter how badly he wanted to.

John kissed his cheek one more time before beginning to eat.

Across the cafeteria, Lafayette sat with the girls, eating in peace. There was no talk of bullies or whether or not that skirt was a good idea, there was just friends eating and talking. Lafayette knew that it was bad to just ignore his problems like that, but he was no John. He couldn’t handle it all at once.


	94. Chapter 94

“So, who do you think is getting what role in Be More Chill?” Francis asked, clearly curious about where Lafayette thought she stood.

“Well, auditions are today, so we’ll see. We all know who John is going to be.”

Francis nodded. “Well, what about the rest of us? Besides Theo and Martha, of course. They’re going to be a perfect Brooke and Chloe.”

Lafayette chuckled. “You’re just curious about yourself.”

“Well, you know I’ve been dying to be Jeremy, but… How do you think I’d be?..” Her smile wavered a bit and she visibly shrunk up. “Like… Is it bad that I want to play a guy role?”

“Of course it isn’t. It’s acting, it doesn’t mean you really want to be a guy,” Lafayette reassured. “Like I don’t really want to be a bully and Theo and Martha aren’t the gossiping or bitchy types. That’s what makes acting fun, you can be anyone.”

Francis thought on that a minute before nodding. “Yeah.. You have a good point.. Thanks, Laf.”

“No problem. And I think you’d make a great Jeremy.”

She smiled. “And I assume Thomas is going to be the SQUIP?”

He nodded. “I definitely see the appeal. It is an interesting villain.”

“It’s a weird ass villain. I’m really curious as to what he’s going to do about costumes.”

Lafayette thought for a second. “If he really wants to, which he probably will, he could get something tailored by Hercules’s parents, but it is prom season.”

“Right, I’m sure they’re busy.”

“Are you going to prom?” Theodosia asked. “With Hercules?”

Lafayette smiled and failed to fight back a blush. “Of course I am.. I’m going to prompose soon, after this stupid Charles Lee thing blows over.”

That got them all interested. “How are you going to do it?!” they asked simultaneously.

“Um.. Well, I think I’m-”

“Laf,” Hercules called from behind him, all three girls and Lafayette turning around. “Um.. Can we talk?..”

Lafayette looked at the girls for advice. Francis looked a bit hesitant, but Theodosia and Martha both gave him encouraging looks. He got up and turned to face Hercules. “Of course we can.”

Hercules seemed to let out a breath of relief as he and Lafayette walked into the hallway. “I just.. I wanted to apologize for this morning. I shouldn’t have tried to tell you what to wear and I should’ve thought more about how you felt..”

Lafayette smiled and kissed his cheek. “That’s all I wanted to hear.. I get that you mean well, but who is he to dictate what I wear?”

Hercules nodded. “And who am I to try and let him?..”

“Exactly.” Lafayette pecked his lips before remembering an important point. “Oh, Rosie followed me here from your house. She’s with Adams right now.”

Hercules’s eyes widened a bit in shock. “He’s not going to roast her and have her for lunch, is he?”

Lafayette tutted and playfully hit his arm. “Stop that, Adams is human, too. I think he has a soft spot for cats.. Which reminds me, can you let the girls know I have to take her outside and get her some water?”

“No problem. I’ll see you later.” He kissed his forehead and went back to the cafeteria, letting the girls know where Lafayette went to before sitting with his friends again.

“How did everything go?” John asked.

“They went well,” Hercules said with a smile.

Lafayette ran by his locker and got the shoelaces off of his emergency pair of shoe, tying them into a makeshift leash as he made his way to Adams’s classroom. He found the teacher and his kitten in there, the air more peaceful than it had ever been around him.

“Hello, Lafayette. Your kitten has been a joy to have around.”

Rosie let out a joyous meow and ran to Lafayette, purring as he tied the shoelace leash to her collar.

“I’m glad to hear that. Alexander, in particular, knows she can be a little devil sometimes. I’m glad you haven’t had to deal with that,” he chuckled.

Adams smiled and got up from his desk. “Why don’t I join you outside? It’s a nice day, it’d be a waste to spend it stuffed in here.”

“Oh, of course.” Lafayette smiled and scooped Rosie up, carrying her outside as Adams followed. Once they got out, he let her down and let her sniff around the new area.

Adams sighed and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “Do you mind if I smoke? I try not to, but… Life hasn’t been very kind to me lately.”

“Of course not,” Lafayette assured. “Do you need someone to talk to?”

“I really shouldn’t. I’m the teacher, I should be helping you out with your problems and teaching you that smoking doesn’t help.”

Lafayette tutted and snagged a cigarette. “Well, we all cope in our own ways and you’re just as human as the next person. Come on, light me up and talk.”

Ordinarily, people would believe that Adams would’ve grown a second head and eaten Lafayette alive, but this was different. Lafayette was the only student who even tried to be genuinely nice to him. So, he just sighed and did as he asked. “I didn’t tag you as a smoker.”

Lafayette shrugged. “Haven’t touched a cigarette in years. My parents didn’t know, but I came to them with this habit, thanks to the shit care system I was a part of. John helped me quit.” And nobody but John knew about it, as far as his new life went. “But this isn’t about me.”

Adams sighed and took a long drag of his cigarette, figuring that Lafayette was safe. “Alright.. Well, I found out my wife’s been cheating on me.”


	95. Chapter 95

“That’s awful.. What happened?” Lafayette asked, occasionally walking around a bit. After all, Rosie was the reason they were outside in the first place.

“It’s more like I’ve been knowing. Coming home at the break of dawn, always with that smile I haven’t seen her wear in years. I thought I was crazy, but I found a pregnancy test in the bathroom. Negative, but still..”

Lafayette nodded. “I can’t imagine how that must’ve been for you.”

“Yeah.. so, obviously, we’re getting divorced. She’s mad because she forgot she signed a prenup, so she keeps trying to find ways around it.”

“She sounds awful.”

“Yeah, well, that’s what I get for marrying too quickly,” he shrugged and took another drag of his cigarette, Lafayette doing the same and coughing. 

“Sorry, I’m alright. Anyways, what did she say when you confronted her?”

He chuckled. “Well... That’s a pretty crazy story.” 

“I’m smoking with my teacher and walking my cat on a shoelace leash because I was too mad at my boyfriend to try and think about anything.”

Adams seemed surprised by that. “Trouble in paradise? You and Hercules must’ve had some disagreement for you two to actually fight.”

Lafayette sighed and took another drag of his cigarette. “It’s stupid.. That new kid, Charles Lee, he’s been picking on me because of how I dress and Hercules told me to just wear pants. His parents got involved and took sides and I just left.” 

“Charles Lee... I’ll make a call to his parents for you.”

Lafayette waved him off. “It’s fine. I can handle him myself. Besides, he hasn’t done much besides be a stupid bully. If I could handle how Thomas used to be, I can handle whatever Lee throws at me.”

“Jefferson.. I still can’t believe what happened with him. I can’t believe nobody noticed.”

Lafayette shrugged. “A good troublemaker is one that doesn’t get caught. He’s besides the point, though.” 

“Actually, I have something to confess to you about him.” 

“About Jefferson?”

Adams nodded and took a drag of his cigarette. “When I brought my wife to see Heathers, she seemed awfully surprised to see him on the stage. I checked her Facebook and she’d sent him a friend request.”

Lafayette’s eyes went wide with shock. “No!”

“Yep. I confronted her and she tried to deny it until I pulled that up. She cried and begged me not to go to the police, so I said I wouldn’t if she backed down and just let this whole divorce go over quietly.” He chuckled. “Knowing that Thomas is eighteen, it’s a memory that helps me sleep at night.” 

Lafayette couldn’t help but laugh a bit at that, but.. “You’re not going to do anything to Thomas, are you?” 

Adams shook his head. “Kids make mistakes. It was her responsibility to see whether or not he was of age. I might give him a good scare, though, just for the hell of it,” he chuckled. 

Lafayette smiled. It was a pretty funny thought. “I wish that was something I could see.” 

“I’ll let you know what happens.” Adams checked his watch. “We should get inside soon. Class starts in a few minutes.” 

“Okay.” He put out his cigarette on a trash can that was outside before throwing it in, Adams doing the same. 

The two went inside and Lafayette left Rosie there before going to his seat, going over to Thomas once he showed up. 

“Hey, you wouldn’t happen to have any gum, would you?”

Thomas furrowed his eyebrows and replied in French, keeping his tone casual.  _ “Have you been smoking?” _

Lafayette shrugged.  _ “One cigarette. I don’t want Hercules or Alexander or, god forbid, John to find out.” _

Thomas nodded and handed him a pack of gum.  _ “Want to talk about it?” _

_ “No, it’s nothing serious. I was just talking with someone, I won’t make a habit out of it.”  _

_ “Good. I don’t care about it, but I know everyone else would.” _

Lafayette nodded and began chewing a few pieces before sitting down with Hercules. 

“What was that about?” he asked. 

“Nothing,” Lafayette responded. “Just a bad taste in my mouth left from lunch.” 

They seemed to believe it without question and sailed through the last class of the day, Rosie taking a nap in her cardboard bed after such a long walk. 

Once class let out, Lafayette quickly took her home and grabbed a change of rehearsal clothes, getting another for John as well, just in case, before going back to school, finding everyone in the room already besides Eacker of course. The students were buzzing with gossip, wondering who was cast as who and already wondering how the final product would end up. 

They only went silent as Eacker walked in, a pile of scripts in one arm and a cast list in the other. 

“Alright, at least let me pin the list up before you guys storm it,” he asked, putting down the scripts and going to the corkboard, quickly pinning up the list before moving out of the way, barely dodging the crowd of teenagers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know French and I don't personally know anybody who does, so I'm sorry, but italicized French it is.


	96. Chapter 96

“Yes!” Francis screeched. “Jeremy Heere, reporting to Loserville!” 

Thomas chuckled and looked for his name. The SQUIP, of course. This would be interesting. 

Lafayette scanned the list, bouncing on his toes. Richard Goranski! It would be interesting being something besides the hero. 

John didn’t even bother fighting the crowd. They told him he was going to be Michael since they started. 

Theodosia and Martha high fived as they found their names. Brooke and Chloe, respectively. 

Once the crowd died down, they all grabbed a script and sat down, looking over their own lines. Thomas sat down beside Francis, nudging her playfully. “Looks like we’re going to get really close.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, even you can’t scare me off of this role.” 

“I’m not trying to. I’m going to help you,” he corrected, his typical grin on his face. 

Francis raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to help me?”

Thomas nodded and threw an arm around her. “I’ll tenderly guide you,” he sang. “Just take me inside you, fore-” He was cut off as Francis elbowed his gut, clutching his stomach. 

“Are you done?”

He nodded. 

“Good. We can’t be friends if you’re going to creep on me. Next time, I’ll tell John.” 

He sat up and looked at her, dead serious. “It was a joke, I swear. Don’t tell John.” 

Francis wasn’t sure if he was worried about getting hurt or losing John, but either way, she at least had to scare him a bit. “John!” she called out, the freckled boy showing up and pulling Thomas’s chair away already. 

“What’s up?” he asked. 

She glanced at Thomas before smiling back up at John. “I just wanted to say I’m glad you’re the Michael to my Jeremy.”

He seemed a bit surprised that he didn’t have to kick Thomas’s ass, but it definitely was a pleasant surprise. “Thanks.. I’m sure I’ll be okay with some help from you and Laf.” 

“I’m free to help whenever you want,” she offered. 

“Hey, I think I can help my own boyfriend,” Thomas whined. 

John shrugged. “Considering what I heard about last time, I think I’m going to just have to keep an eye on you. Thank you, though.” He kissed his cheek and went back to Lafayette, who was reading thoroughly through his lines, highlighting or sectioning them off, already about halfway through. 

John sat and did the same, humming to himself. He ended up being the first one of the two to get to the end, something catching his eye during the hospital scene. “Hey, Laf?” he began. 

“Oui?” Lafayette responded mindlessly. 

“Has this always been here?” John asked, showing him the highlighted portion of the page. 

Lafayette looked up and skimmed over the lines, furrowing his eyebrows. “No..” He looked in his own script and saw the same thing. “Weird.. I’ll ask Eacker about it.” He got up and went over to their teacher. “Sir, why is there a kiss scene between Michael and Rich here?”

He chuckled awkwardly. “Well, I was going through the script with Lauren and Frances was over and she suggested that I add it. It’s sweet and it adds up. Besides, I know Thomas and John and Alexander and John are a thing, so I kind of assumed...”

Lafayette shook his head. “Um.. No.. We’re not a thing. Just them three and me and Hercules.” 

“Oh.. I can always change it back, if you’re not comfortable.”

“Um..” Lafayette glanced back at John, who was reading through his part. “I don’t think I’d mind it, honestly. Besides, I went through Dead Girl Walking with... That.” He pointed at Thomas, who was trying to infiltrate and talk to the circle of freshman girls. 

“Right...” Eacker chuckled. “Well, I know it is awkward, so if you can’t handle it, or, rather, if it’s too much for John, I can always change it back or we can just do hand holding.” 

Lafayette nodded. “Thank you.” He went back to John. 

“So what’s the verdict?” he asked. 

“You and I are kissing. Get used to it.” 

John chuckled. “Alright. It could be worse. After all, you did Dead Girl Walking with that.” He pointed at Thomas, who had made it into the circle of girls, though Francis was keeping a good eye on him. 

“John?”

“Yes?”

“You’re dating that.” 

“I know and I love it, but he’s an idiot sometimes.” He smiled. 

Lafayette smiled at that and continued looking through his script. “Do you want to work on this outside of rehearsal with me?” 

“Yeah. I was planning on working on it with Thomas, but you need to be there to keep him on task.”

Lafayette thought for a second. “I thought Alexander was going to be with you, too.”

John shrugged. “Doesn’t stop him. He knows I’m okay with it and he likes that it bugs Alexander.” He smiled to himself. “Alexander knows he can make Thomas stop, he just lets him be. It’s fun, trust me.” 

And Lafayette thought that was sweet. He thought it was sweet that John and Thomas and Alexander got along so well. The concept was still a bit odd to him, but if they were happy, who was he to judge? 

After practice, John went with Thomas to his car, scripts in hand and arm around his shoulder. 

“So, are you still coming over to rehearse lines with me?” John asked as they reached the car. 

“Of course I am,” Thomas assured. “Is Alex coming to watch?”

“Yes. And Lafayette is joining us.” 

That made Thomas pause for a moment, just surprised. After all, he was not one to goof off. He saw the kiss scene when he was skiing through with the girls. It wasn’t like he was jealous or anything. It was just... Weird. John was his boyfriend and Lafayette was their friend, one of both of their closest friends. It was just weird. 

“Are you okay?” John asked as he got into the car, watching as Thomas unfroze and did the same. 

“Yeah, I’m fine.. I don’t know, I just think it’s going to see you and Laf kiss.” 

John smiled at that. Thomas was joking, right? “Okay, Mr Dead Girl Walking. Your relationship with him in Heathers was way more out there than mine with him in Be More Chill. It’s just a little kiss, right?”

John always did know how to make someone feel better.. “You’re right.”


	97. Chapter 97

Thomas smiled and drove them to their apartment, where Lucy was waiting with Maria, the saint. She clung onto Thomas’s leg while Susan clung to John’s, so they decided they’d just have a bigger audience. After all, Be More Chill wasn’t purely inappropriate. And Alexander could distract them when it was. 

They went upstairs and ordered pizza, the delivery coming a few minutes before Lafayette and Alexander showed up, the latter with his signature pout. 

“What’s up with you?” John asked. 

Alexander glared at Thomas. “I didn’t realize he’d be here.”

John chuckled and turned him away. “Well, I did say I was going to rehearse lines.” 

“You could rehearse with me.. No gross Thomas allowed.” 

“Lafayette’s here to keep him from being gross. I promise we’ll have some alone time afterwards. How does that sound?” 

Thomas threw his arm over Alexander’s shoulders. “You don’t want me here, Lexi? I thought we were finally falling in love.” 

“John!” Alexander whined. 

John swatted Thomas’s arm away. “Come on, let him be. He’s not always willing to put up with you like I am.” 

Thomas tutted. He knew when he wasn’t wanted, but Alexander was fun to pick on, no matter how close they could’ve been. Still, John got the final word. “Okay, I’m done. So, should we try a song or a scene?” 

“I think we should just skip around and figure it out as we go,” Lafayette suggested. “After all, there probably aren’t many, if any, scenes where we’re all on stage, at least not as our main characters.” 

Thomas nodded. “Makes sense. So, where should we start?”

The next few hours between the three were spent sitting across the floor, flipping through the script and reading whatever lines were spoken by any one of them, the others filling in for other characters, while Alexander and the girls sat across from them on the couch, their watchful audience. It was a little over an hour and a half before they got to the hospital scene, John, more than Lafayette, getting almost hesitant to continue.

“We can stop now, if you want,” Lafayette offered. “Or we don’t really have to act it out.” 

“Yeah.. I think that’d be best. Thanks, Laf.”

“No problem.” 

Lafayette smiled and Thomas began the scene, filling in as Jeremy. 

“Hello?..” he asked, almost painfully. 

“Feels like you’re missing a part of yourself, doesn’t it?” Lafayette asked, lisping through his French accent and keeping a straight face as the girls and Alexander giggled. He could work on the lisp and the accent another time. 

“Rich?” Thomas asked. 

“Hurts a whole lot too,” Lafayette continued, keeping his language appropriate for the two very small children sitting a few feet away. “Be honest, what are they saying about me at school?”

Both him and Thomas paused for a second before he continued. 

“That bad?..”

“Sorry..” 

Lafayette sighed and shook his head, his tone worn out. “No, don’t be. I’m better off. That evil tic tac was starting to say some seriously messed up stuff. SQUIP the school to make everyone happy... Pretty crazy, right?”

“Yea, pretty crazy..” Thomas deadpanned.

“When I get out of here, the ladies are going to get to love the real Richard Goranski. And the dudes. None as well as my dude, of course.”

“Your dude?”

“Oh, haven’t you heard? I’m totally bi!” 

“Wait... Our SQUIPs are gone? But how?”

Lafayette’s tone suddenly brightened up. “Oh! Ask your buddy,” he paused and cleared his throat, hiding his excitement. “Anti social headphones kid?.. He’s been around, like, a ton by the way..” He paused for a second. This was where he’d look at the teddy bear that would be beside him. He smiled, then hesitated before saying his next line. “Is.. he your boyfriend?..”

Thomas shook his head. “No.” 

Lafayette gasped. “Is he single?! Because I’m totally bi now!” 

John cleared his throat, just to signify that Michael was entering the scene. 

Lafayette paused. “... Oh, heeyyyy..” 

“Hey, Rich,” John chuckled. 

“Michael, what happened? All I remember was that noise, and then-”

“Oh, man, it was genius! They were communicating with each other! They were linked! So that means, when you consider the kind of high frequency resistance needed to wipe the system-”

“Michael, Michael.. My head still hurts..” 

“Oh, right... Sorry... Turns out, you didn’t have to destroy every SQUIP. Just one. And the rest..” He made small explosion sounds and motions, stopping by doing one in Thomas’s face, making him smile. 

“I don’t get it... After everything I did, you were still there for me.. Why?”

“I can’t take all the credit.”

“Then who-”

“Jeremy, are you alright?” Lafayette asked, acting out Mr Heere's lines. 

“Dad! Actually, I’m great, I-”

“Oh, thank god! Because you’re grounded.”

“Yeah, yeah, but dad! You’re wearing pants!” 

“Hey!” Lafayette sang, this being the part where Mr Heere would turn around, showing off his new pants. “Don’t be too surprised. I’m your father and I wear the pants in this family.”

“I’m not... It’s great.”

“And you’re going to see some major changes around here.” 

“I think I already am..” Thomas said. In the stage directions, John had walked back over to Lafayette while Jeremy had been talking to his dad, the two holding hands. 

“Well... What can I say?” John asked. “He’s almost as big of a dork as me..” He smiled at Lafayette. “I thought we’d keep it a secret, but you seem okay, so..”

“So Rich gets a kiss?”

John chuckled and kissed Laf’s cheek. 

“I’m happy for you..” Thomas said, smiling. 

“You’re not out of the woods, yet. Who is this Christine and why did I have to hear about her from him?”

Thomas sighed. “After what I did, I’ll be lucky if she wants to go to the same school as me..”

Everyone exchanged looks. 

“It’s reassuring,” John said. “He still doesn’t know how to talk to girls.” 

They went through the rest of the song, their tiny audience applauding at the end. 


	98. Chapter 98

“So, Michael and Rich end up together now?” Alexander asked. “That’s new.”

John nodded. “Yep. Nothing major. Just holding hands in the last song and a kiss in the hospital scene. It’ll definitely be weird, but it’s just acting.”

“Oh.. Cool. I guess I can see that happening,” he commented.

John nodded. “It’s cool.

Lafayette got up. “If we’re done here, I’m going to get food.”

“Yeah, go ahead,” John said, getting up with him to get some pizza.

Thomas stayed with Alexander and the girls, Lucy sitting with him.

“You’re a good actor,” she commented.

Thoms smiled. “You think so?”

She nodded. “You can’t tell that you’re mad about Mr Laf kissing Johnny.”

“Well.. I’m not really mad about it. They’re only kissing in the play. Johnny doesn’t really like him like he likes me and Alex.”

“Oh.” She paused for a second. “You’re still a good actor.”

“Thank you.” He kissed her cheek.

Lafayette and John came out of the kitchen a minute later, John with a plate of pizza and Lafayette with a single slice.

“I’m going to head out,” Lafayette said between bites. “I’ll see you guys at school tomorrow.” He grabbed his stuff and left.

John glanced over at Thomas expectantly and he nodded.

“It can’t be said that I didn’t know when I was unwelcome.”

“You’re always unwelcome,” Alexander joked.

“I know. I just don’t care,” Thomas shot back, Lucy sticking her tongue out playfully at Alexander before she and Susan left with Thomas.

John smiled and locked the door behind them before finally settling with Alexander. “Alright. I have been looking forward to this forever.”

“Why? So I can stop complaining about not getting time with you?” Alexander jokingly asked.

John shook his head. “No. Because I get to spend time with my sweet boyfriend, of course.” And as absolutely true as that statement was, John knew that he also had to really slather on the sweetness that night. He couldn’t let Alexander feel like he was any less to him than Thomas was. Especially because he wasn’t.

And Alexander had no idea what was going through his boyfriend’s head, just being as happy as possible as John showered him with attention.

“What does my amazing boyfriend want to do?” John asked, taking Alexander’s hand in his own.

“Anything, as long as you continue being such a dork,” he laughed.

John smiled and sat up, picking Alexander up bridal style and taking him to his room. “Movie night it is.”

Alexander laughed and held on as John carried him, resting his head against his chest. He really didn’t deserve this sappy dork. “Sounds great, weirdo.”

John, quite literally, tossed Alexander onto his bed and got his laptop before laying beside him. “So, what’s the choice for tonight?”

Alexander hummed in thought before shrugging. “Whatever you want. I’m just glad we’re spending alone time together..”

John smiled at that and pecked Alexander’s lips. “Sounds like a plan.” He chose whatever movie came up and let it just serve as background noise as he focused on Alexander. He pulled his boyfriend down into a kiss, determined to show him just how much he cared about him. And, while John wasn’t exactly the most sex crazed, he had been told that he was one hell of a kisser.

And Alexander could not agree more. He sighed contently and let his eyes fall shut as his lips moved against John’s, falling in love with the feeling just as he did almost every other time. John had this magical way of making everything feel like it was okay, even when things were far from it. And because of it, Alexander could ignore that, he could ignore the fact that things weren’t perfect and just enjoy an absolutely perfect moment with his boyfriend, blushing darkly as the other let out a soft moan.

John pulled away and covered his face, embarrassed. “I’m sorry.. I don’t really want to do anything past kissing, I just-”

Alexander gently grabbed John’s wrists, pulling his hands away from his face and smiling. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not laughing this time and I know you can’t help it.” He knew John was almost embarrassingly vocal and, sure, it was funny in an adorable way, but this wasn’t the time for that. They both wanted nothing but romance.

And Alexander’s ease helped John relax, smiling as he pulled Alexander back into a kiss.

The next morning, Alexander woke up with John’s duvet wrapped tightly around him. He smiled and sat up, the night before still fresh on his mind. They didn’t do much besides kissing and cuddling, but it was magical all the same and he was more than happy with it. He got out of the bed and found John in the kitchen, wrapping his arms around his waist. “Good morning..”

“Good morning,” John replied with a smile. “How did you sleep?”

“Pretty well,” he hummed. “Why can’t I just stay with you all day? Why does stupid school have to be a thing?”

John chuckled and pulled his way out of Alexander’s grip, fixing them both a plate of breakfast. “I don’t know, but at least weekends exist.”

“But it’s not the weekend,” Alexander whined, taking his plate as John offered it to him.

John just shrugged and sat down with him, eating before finishing getting ready and heading off to school.

Lafayette had already gotten there and was looking for Hercules when said boyfriend made his presence known with a light smack on Lafayette’s behind. At least, that’s what Lafayette had assumed until he felt hands grabbing the waistband of his shorts. He yelped and yanked himself out of his attacker’s grasp, unsurprised to see that it was Charles Lee.

“You fucking pervert!” Lafayette cried out, sick of his antics. He balled up his fist and aimed a punch at Lee’s jaw.. Only for the bully to move out the way.

Before Lafayette could stop himself, his fist landed against the brick wall with a painful crack. Shakily, Lafayette dropped to the ground and held his hand painfully against his chest, doing his best not to give Lee the satisfaction of hearing him scream from the pain.

Charles laughed to himself and reached down to grab Lafayette’s ponytail, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He tried to ignore it, but the hand forced him to turn around and look up at it’s owner. Or, rather, down, the sight almost making him laugh. 


	99. Chapter 99

John stood there, face bright red with anger.

Charles Lee tutted and leaned down condescendingly. “What’s wrong, little guy? Are you upset that I’m picking on your-” He was cut off by John punching him in the jaw with all of his force.

Lee immediately went down and John dropped with him, punching again and again, ignoring his missed punches, until Eacker pulled him off.

“Stop! We saw what he did, we’ll take care of it!” Eacker knew John wasn’t a violent kid. He was a good kid, a great kid, who couldn’t stand seeing his friend hurt.

John shut his eyes for a second and, when he opened them, he was fourteen again. Two teachers were holding him back as a bloodied James Reynolds laid on the ground, Maria Lewis standing a few feet away with a female teacher. Who could blame him? How dare he lay a hand on Maria, his pregnant girlfriend, just because she said something he didn’t like?

He blinked again and he was even younger, Hercules holding him back as they stood over barely conscious bullies, Lafayette crying a few feet away. He was just protecting his friend from a stupid bully, right?

One last time, he blinked and time went back farther, faceless men standing over him as one pinned him onto his back and all he wished was for someone, anyone, to come over and help him.

John didn’t realize he was crying until he snapped back to reality, just trying to regain awareness. Eacker’s hands on his arms, firm, but definitely calm. Lee’s blood on his knuckles, drying quickly. His right hand screaming with pain from the wrist up. Lafayette holding his own hand to his chest. And Alexander, sitting at his brother’s side.

“Are you okay?..” Alexander asked, a supportive hand on his brother’s back.

“Yes.. But I think I broke something..”

“You both need to go to the nurse,” Eacker stated, easing his grip on John’s shoulders. “And I should call an ambulance for Lee.. You guys go ahead. I’ll let them know what happened.

John didn’t argue and just followed Alexander blindly. There were some things he knew he couldn’t fix on his own and a potentially broken wrist was one of them. Besides, he trusted Eacker. At least, he trusted him to be on his side here.

Alexander took them both to the nurse’s office. Before long, she gave them both ice and confirmed that they had both broken something.

“What caused this kind of mess?” she asked as she began to search for Martha’s phone number.

“A stupid kid harassing Laf.. He tried to pull down his shorts and Laf tried to hit him, but he missed and hit the wall, then John took care of him.”

She nodded. “Well, I hope you guys get this sorted out..”

Alexander nodded. “So do I..”

It wasn’t long before Martha got there. It took some arguing, but she was able to take both Lafayette and John out of school and to the ER, while Alexander stayed home, going to class with the promise that Martha would keep him posted.

Thomas furrowed his eyebrows as he saw that John was missing, going to sit beside Alexander. “Where’s John?”

“Emergency room… Lee messed with Laf and they both broke something because of it.”

Thomas’s eyes went wide and he opened his mouth to ask about them when Alexander cut him off.

“Martha said she’d keep me posted.” Alexander paused for a second before looking at Thomas. “And I’ll keep you posted.”

And, with that, Thomas shut up, honestly more surprised than he should’ve been. John being his boyfriend, of course he should’ve expected for Alexander to keep him updated, but knowing Alexander.. It was awfully mature of him to offer to keep Thomas updated. “Thank you.”

“You’re John’s boyfriend.. You should know.” As painful as it could be to admit, it really was getting easier to say. Thomas was John’s boyfriend. He deserved to know what was going on with John.

It wasn’t much longer before the bell rang and there was still no sign of Adams, a fairly odd occurrence. Naturally, the class took advantage, bursting into conversation until Adams did walk in a few minutes later.

“Sorry I’m late, I had to take care of a few things… Let’s get on with the class, shall we?”

The class seemed to groan in sync, but Adams paid no attention, instead giving his lecture.

That, however, didn’t stop Alexander from checking his phone every time he felt it buzz in his pocket. For the most part, it was just useless notifications from Instagram and Facebook and- Martha texted him!

Alexander clicked on the message and saw a picture of Lafayette having a blue cast wrapped around his wrist, a message coming in beneath it.

[Martha: He’s going to be okay. Just a broken wrist, it shouldn’t take too long to heal.]

[Alex: What about John?]

[Martha: They’re still looking at his x-rays. They saw he shouldn’t be too bad, but they are having a little more trouble.]

[Martha: Nevermind, they just called me to go get a cast on him.]

[Martha: I’ll let you know in a few minutes.]

[Alex: Thank you.]

Alexander bounced his leg as he waited, the few minutes of tension absolutely- Why was Thomas’s hand on his leg?


	100. Chapter 100

Alexander hesitantly glanced to the side, expecting to see Thomas glaring at him for not giving him some kind of update... But no. Thomas gave him a look of genuine worry. 

“What’s wrong?.. Is it John?”

Who else would Thomas be worried about besides John? 

Alexander shook his head. “No.. No news on him yet and it’s killing me,” he whispered back. 

Thomas nodded. “Okay.. I’m sure he’s fine. John’s a fighter, you know that.”

“Right.. Thanks..” 

Of course, Adams saw this happening, but... He wasn’t heartless. He was the one who saw Lee to the ambulance, he knew that they were worrying over John. So, he acted like he didn’t see a thing happening back there. 

Finally, Martha messaged Alexander, her son practically slamming his thumb onto the screen to unlock it before relaxing at the sight he was met with, showing Thomas the screen. 

There was John, smiling for the camera and letting a doctor put a cast on his hand. 

[Martha: Broken wrist and two broken fingers. The doctor says he won't be able to do too much with his art, but John seems okay with that.]

[Alex: Thank you.]

[Martha: Of course :)] 

Thomas smiled. “Well, at least we know he’s okay..”

Alexander nodded. “Yeah..” 

John was okay. He broke his wrist trying to defend Lafayette, so he didn’t care about the consequences. He could spray paint with his left hand just find and he could figure something out. He had more than enough money saved up to help him out for the time being. He was okay. 

“Are you ready to go?” Martha asked as she popped her head into his room. 

John nodded. “Yeah, I’m ready to go.”

She smiled and walked out with him and Lafayette, taking them home for the day and texting Alexander when they got there. 

[Martha: We just got home. Everything’s looking great, I’ll see you after school.]

[Alex: I’ll see you then.]

That time, Alexander was in the hallway, walking to his next class with Thomas, and didn’t have to keep his phone hidden as he showed the other. 

“Would you mind if I came over and visited John after school? Or do you think he and Laf will be okay to come to drama practice?”

Alexander shrugged. “I don’t know. You know how they are, but you also know how Martha is.” It was a matter of either they wanted to go to drama badly enough or Martha wanted to keep them home. “But you can come check on them, if you want.” 

The whole Laurens Pamphlet thing had lead to a brief discussion between Martha and John about the latter’s living arrangements, knowing that such a horrible man wouldn’t let him stay in the house after such a controversy. It had ended with John appreciating Martha’s offer for a free place to stay, but ultimately turning it down, knowing that he’d be fine on his own and not wanting to take up too much room with his art. It took a bit of convincing, but Martha backed down, trusting John to make smart choices. 

“That sounds great, thank you.” Thomas nodded and walked into class with Alexander trailing behind him. He took his seat and the two actually paid attention, now that they weren’t preoccupied with a certain boyfriend being in the emergency room. 

Once lunchtime rolled around, they sat at their usual seat and found Hercules looking at them, confused by the missing members of their group. 

“Where are John and Laf?”

“Um..” Alexander began, not exactly sure how to say this. “Well, they’re not here. They’re home.”

Hercules furrowed his eyebrows. “Why?”

“Promise not to freak out? It’s been taken care of already.”

“I can’t promise anything when you need me to make promises like that.”

Which, Alexander reluctantly admitted to himself, was fair. “Okay.. They both broke their wrists.”

“What?!” Hercules demanded, standing up suddenly and catching the attention of most of the cafeteria. 

“They’re fine! I told you, they’re okay, Martha’s with them,” Alexander assured, trying to ease Hercules into sitting back down. 

And whether it was because of Alexander’s words or the piercing eyes of the entire cafeteria, he did. “What happened to them?”

“Lee.. He was about to pants Laf in front of a huge crowd, but Laf turned and tried to punch him.. Lee moved at the last second and Laf hit the wall.. Then John pounced on him and kept hitting until Eacker pulled him off.”

“Oh my god...” Thomas muttered. 

Hercules sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. “God, I hate that guy..”

“You’re not the only one... But what matters is that they’re okay. And I don’t know if Lee’s coming back anytime soon.. They had to call an ambulance once John was done with him.”

“That sounds about right..” For someone who tried to humiliate one of John’s closest friends, it sounded right. 

“But Eacker said he was on John’s side and I believe him. Hopefully, he won’t get into too much trouble..”

Hercules shook his head. “It took two or three people to pull him off of James Reynolds, you know he did worse to him, and he didn’t get in any trouble.”

“Yeah.. But did he break his wrist trying to hurt him?”

Hercules bit the inside of his cheek. Alexander did have a point there, John never lost it enough to break something, even when he was boxing. “He must have something crazy going through his mind right now..”

He definitely did. John and Lafayette were laying in the latter’s bed, John’s head on Lafayette’s stomach and Lafayette’s hand mindlessly combing through John’s hair. 

“Are you going to be okay?” Lafayette asked, staring up at the ceiling. 

“Probably... I don’t know what happened... I just blacked out and I was back there.. You were me and I just wanted... I..” John cut himself off, beginning to hyperventilate.

Lafayette put their other hand over John’s head, holding him close. “Shh.. It’s okay.. That was so long ago. They can’t hurt you anymore, you know I won’t let them.” 

And even under the weight of plaster and fiberglass, John felt the comfort of Lafayette’s touch ease his nerves. Lafayette was right. He was okay. This was so many years later. They couldn’t hurt him. 

“I’m sorry..”

“Don’t be sorry.. You were hurt so badly, but you’re still so strong..”

“I don’t feel strong..”

Lafayette smiled softly. “You punched so hard you broke fingers and kept going, even with a broken wrist...”

John chuckled to himself and looked down at his white cast. “Yeah.. I guess you’re right..”

“You’re a fighter, John. You won’t let anything hurt me and I won’t let anything hurt you, you know that.” 

John nodded and took a deep breath, relaxing against Lafayette’s stomach. “You’re right.. I do know that..”

Lafayette smiled. “Good.. Try to sleep.. At least for now.”

“Okay...” John shut his eyes and tried to do that. With Lafayette holding him, it felt that much less impossible. 


	101. Chapter 101

When he finally woke up, it was hours later, to the sound of people letting themselves into the room. 

“I told you we should’ve waited for a response,” Alexander whispered. “Laf always answers when we knock.”

“Yeah, because I know exactly how Lafayette acts at home,” Thomas snapped back, also keeping his voice down. 

“Can you two stop arguing for once? We can always come back later and check on them,” Hercules interjected, already tired of dealing with their bickering. 

John rolled onto his back and sat up, smiling at the audience that had gathered. “Hey.. I’m alive, it’s fine.” He got up and lead them out of the room, letting Lafayette sleep. 

“How are you feeling, sunshine?” Thomas asked softly. 

“I’m alright. A little sore, but I can take painkillers for that.” He walked into his guest room and sat down, Alexander sitting right beside him and Hercules sitting a bit farther down while Thomas stayed standing, taking in the room for the first time. He’d never been in there, but it was kind of what he imagined. Simple, very clean, but definitely lived in, and... a turtle tank? 

He walked over and watched the little turtle swim around, smiling a bit. “I didn’t know you finally got that turtle you always wanted,” he muttered. 

“Terrapin,” Alexander corrected. “We got him when we started dating... There were two, but..” It still kind of hurt to think about the little guy. 

“Sorry to hear that.” And, surprisingly enough, he meant that. He knew how John must’ve felt and he had an idea about Alexander’s feelings about what had happened, seeing as he did get to see first hand how he felt after his rat had died. 

“Thanks,” Alexander muttered, about half convinced. He was sure Thomas didn’t just not care about their turtle dying, but he probably didn’t care as much as he seemed to. 

Thomas sat down on the other side of the bed, behind John, and sighed. “I have to go soon.. Are you coming back to your apartment tonight?”

“Yeah..” John grabbed his backpack. “But we are definitely not making rehearsals today,” he said with a small laugh. “The doctor said we can tomorrow, as long as we’re careful, but not tonight.”

Thomas smiled and nodded. “I get it.” 

John slung his bag over his shoulder and began to stand up when he felt a tug on his sleeve. 

“Can I come with you?..” Alexander asked hopefully. 

“Of course you can,” John said with a smile. “It’ll keep Maria from worrying about me anyways,” he joked as Alexander got up and got his own bag. 

“Wow, now I see why you keep me around,” Alexander joked back, going to his room to grab a change of clothes. 

John chuckled and looked back at Thomas. “You’re still welcome over..” 

Thomas nodded, hiding his hesitation. John broke his wrist. He didn’t need to also worry about whether or not Alexander and Thomas were getting along. “Thanks, sunshine. I’ll drop Lucy off at Maria’s, then I can swing by after drama.” He kissed John’s cheek and left the room with him, Alexander joining as they walked down the stairs and out of the door. 

The three piled into Thomas’s car and headed down to the elementary school, waiting for Lucy to come out. 

“So..” Alexander began. “Um.. Thomas, maybe you could join us?” he offered softly. He knew he couldn’t keep John down on his own and, besides, it was about time they started getting along, wasn’t it? 

“You mean, like.. Like staying with you at John’s place? I thought you’d want some alone time.”

Alexander shrugged. “With John’s broken wrist, we’ll need a second person if we want him cuddled at all times.” Anyone who knew John knew nothing would keep him still. 

John smiled and looked back at Alexander. “You don’t have to do that.. I can always spend time with Thomas later..” 

Alexander shook his head. “No.. No, we should try to get along better.” 

John was beyond pleasantly surprised. If he’d suggested such a thing not long ago, Alexander would begin to gag and write an essay listing every reason why that was a bad idea but now, he’s the one bringing it up. And Thomas was actually taking Alexander’s emotions into consideration, too. It was all around good. And it basically came out of nowhere. “I’m more than okay with it if you guys are fine with it.”

“I’m okay with it,” Thomas hummed, looking out the window as kids started flooding out of the school. “You guys wait right here, I’m going to get Lucy.” He got out of the car, leaving John and Alex to talk for a minute. If Alex really didn’t want him there, Thomas didn’t want him lying about it. It always lead to more bad than good, especially for John. 

“So.. Why the sudden asking Thomas over? You’ve never brought it up,” John pointed out. 

“I just.. I don’t know... I think we should get along at some point, why not now?”

John nodded. “Okay.. I just don’t want you to think you have to let him over..”

“I don’t. Besides, I know you won’t listen to me telling you to sit still while your wrist is in a cast,” he joked, smiling a bit. 

John chuckled. “Okay, fair enough.. But I’ll be fine.” 

Alexander nodded and looked outside, seeing Thomas approaching with Lucy at his feet. “I don’t doubt it.”

Thomas opened the back door and lifted Lucy into her seat, buckling her in before going and getting in the car himself and driving them back to the apartment. It was a quick and easy drop off at Maria’s apartment before the Alexander and John went up to John’s place, Thomas leaving for drama. 

When they got up there, it was John, for once, who rested his head in Alexander’s lap, his broken wrist resting on a pillow on his chest and his other hand reaching back and holding one of Alexander’s. 

“This is relaxing..”

Alexander nodded and ran his fingers through John’s hair, mentally preparing himself for what was to come. He’d never gotten along with Thomas, he knew that. But it was time that they at least started trying. Unfortunately, from Alexander’s point of view, their path to friendship was going to be nothing less than a stormy one. 

Thomas was more worried about getting to drama practice on time, getting into the room minutes before Eacker and someone else coming in only seconds after. 

“Laf?”

“Good afternoon, guys. Sorry I’m late again, but I’m here. Let’s see... What song did I say we were going to start with?”

“The SQUIP song,” Lafayette gasped out, having clearly ran there. 

“Laf?.. Shouldn’t you be at home” Eacker asked, Already knowing the answer. 

“Technically yes, but I didn’t want you guys to have to change the whole schedule around.. Besides, I do have painkillers and the doctor said I was okay to at least move around.”

Eacker sighed. He could deal with Laf once he got everyone else settled down. “Well, you should know that the song we were planning to begin with was The SQUIP Enters, not The SQUIP Song.” 

Lafayette sighed and took his seat. “I always get those two mixed up,” he muttered. 

Eacker gave him a sympathetic smile before calling up Francis, Thomas, and their Christine and Jake. 

“It’s a simple scene, so I think you guys should get it pretty quickly, but it is also the first scene where we see our SQUIP.” 

The students all nodded and took their places, starting the scene. 

As they did, Eacker took a seat beside Lafayette. “You know, you really should be home right now.. Your mother called ahead and said that you weren’t coming this afternoon. And I was there earlier, you know..”

“I know.. But-”

“No buts, Laf.. I don’t like being stern, but I’m going to have to ask you to go home.” 

Lafayette frowned. “But-”

Eacker shook his head. “No, Laf. It’s okay, we can save your scenes for tomorrow. We’re doing the same for John.” 

Lafayette sighed and grabbed his bag, walking out of the classroom silently. At least he could see Hercules.. But before he could even get off of school grounds, Martha pulled up beside him in her car. 

“Get in..” she said, sighing. She knew Laf didn’t like sitting around and letting others take care of him. She knew that this was going to be just as difficult for him as it would be for John, if not more so. 

Lafayette got in the car and put on his seatbelt, keeping his head down. “Can I go see Hercules?..”

“Of course you can.. But I want you spending the night at home today, okay?”

“Okay..” he muttered, looking out the window as Martha began driving. 

The first few minutes were silent, heavy as Lafayette began to realize just how much he wasn’t able to do anymore. No driving himself, no legible writing, and that’s just the surface of it. “On second thought, I just want to go home,” he rushed out. “I just... I don’t know..” Hercules was particularly awful at walking the fine line between spoiling Lafayette and treating him like he was helpless. Lafayette didn’t have the heart to tell him, but he also couldn’t exactly handle it in his current state. So... Maybe it was best to just hide for the moment. 

And Martha understood. She put a supportive hand on Lafayette’s shoulder, but didn’t say anything else during the drive home. 


	102. Chapter 102

After drama practice, Thomas got in his car and messaged John. 

[Me: Hey, I’m thinking about bringing back some food and snacks, like a peace offering. Any suggestions?]

John grabbed his phone and smiled to himself, typing slowly as he responded. 

[Sunshine: Yeah, maybe popsicles? Alex isn’t big on snacks, but I know he likes them.] 

[Me: I’m on it.]

John sat up and looked back at Alexander. “Thomas says he’s bringing food and stuff. Maybe we can all just have a movie night?”

Alexander shrugged. “Sounds good, I guess. I’m okay with whatever as long as you stay here.” 

John smiled and kissed his cheek. “Of course I’m staying. This is my apartment. I wouldn’t just leave you alone together like that.” Except that he would, but not that night. 

“If you say so,” Alexander chuckled before pulling John back against his chest. 

It seemed like no time before Thomas got there, John opening the door and letting him in while Alexander sat on the couch, choosing a movie. 

“Thanks for letting me over,” Thomas said, smiling at Alexander. “I appreciate it and I brought food.”

“Yeah, John told me,” Alexander said simply. He didn’t mean to be particularly cold, but he didn’t exactly know how to be nice to Thomas, of all people. 

John sighed and sat with Alexander, using his left arm to pull him close. “As long as you guys don’t break into a fight, I think this is going to go well.” 

Thomas could only hope he was right. He put the boxes of pizza on the table and disappeared into the kitchen for plates, hearing hushed voices in the living room. He furrowed his eyebrows, both in curiosity and in worry, and listened out, barely making out the words.

“Are you sure you’re okay?.. Like I said, you call the shots here,” John muttered. 

There was a split second before Alexander’s response came. “I’ll be fine. It’s just Thomas.. I know he won’t touch me with you around and, even if he does, we have our stoplight system.”

“Good.. As long as you’re okay, I’m okay.”

Thomas had to admit, it kind of hurt to hear that. He didn’t care that Alexander didn’t trust him, he’d be more surprised if Alexander did fully trust him, but it was almost like Alexander mattered more to John. 

He tutted. Maybe he was just being stupid. He grabbed the plates before heading back out to the living room. “Alright, I got plates and we have pizza. Sounds like dinner to me.”

“I hear that.” John smiled and grabbed a plate, piling pizza onto it before relaxing back into the couch. 

Alexander only stuck with two slices for the time being and Thomas got three before sitting beside John, his arm resting on the back of the seat. 

“So, what movie did you guys pick out?”

“Actually, Alexander picked a show, One Day At A Time.”

Alexander nodded. “I’ve heard a lot of good things, so I figured why not.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard pretty good things about it too. I’ve been meaning to watch it,” Thomas commented, watching as the show started. 

For once, there was some peace between the three. And, honestly, they all thought it was a good sign, not just John. But all good things did have to come to an end. 

Once they were finished eating, Thomas took away their plates for them and brought back three popsicles, giving one to John and Alexander before sitting and enjoying his own. 

Between episodes, Alexander glanced up at John to ask him his opinion about it, blushing darkly as he saw he could only see the stick on John’s popsicle. If that wasn’t bad enough, he made the mistake of looking just past him at Thomas, only to see him doing the same. 

He quickly shifted out of John’s lap, sighing, mainly relief, as John took the popsicle out of his mouth to question it and revealed that it was basically gone by that point. 

“What’s up?”

“Are you okay?” Thomas asked with a knowing grin, his popsicle basically intact. 

Alexander stared down at the ground. “Thomas is being gross!” 

“What did I do?!” 

“You know exactly what you did!” 

Thomas shrugged. “John did it first.” 

“What the hell did I do?!” John asked, not knowing what the hell was going on. 

Thomas chuckled. “Do exactly what you were doing three seconds ago.” 

John furrowed his eyebrows. “I was sitting and eating.”

“So was I,” Thomas assured, showing off his popsicle trick for John. 

“Oh my god,” John commented, unsurprised that it was something so childish. 

Thomas shrugged. “I was doing that before Alexander looked up. Not my fault he can’t control his boner.”

“Fuck you!”

“Guys!” John interjected, looking at Thomas first.. Before realizing he technically couldn’t fault him. He probably didn’t even know Alexander was glancing up or was going to see him. 

But he couldn’t fault Alexander either. All he did was look up, he didn’t expect to see what he did. 

So, John just sighed. “Can we watch the show like normal people? Alex, do you still want to sit with me?”

Alexander thought for a second before nodding, scooting back into John’s lap and tucking his head under his neck, curling up more than before. 

“See? Better,” John said as he shifted to lean against Thomas. 

Thomas gladly put an arm around him and started the show again. 

By the end of the night, Alexander was visibly fighting his inevitable sleep, his head bobbing and his eyes shutting fast. 

John stopped the show between episodes and ran his fingers over Alexander’s hair. “Do you want to go to bed?”

Alexander nodded sleepily. 

Thomas chuckled to himself. Alexander was almost kind of cute like that. 

John glanced up at him. “Would you mind carrying him and staying with him while I clean up out here? I should only be a minute..”

“No problem, sunshine. I’ll come back and help once he’s down.”

“No, really, it’ll only be a second,” John assured, shifting so Thomas could get Alexander more easily. 

Thomas shrugged. “If you insist..” He scooped Alexander up before giving John a quick kiss. “But I’ll be counting. If you’re not back in a minute, I’m coming out and helping.”

John tutted playfully. “If you insist.” He got up and tidied the room. 

Thomas chuckled and headed to John’s room with Alexander in his arms, laying him in the bed carefully. 

Alexander clung to Thomas’s shirt as he was set down, wanting to be held. Preferably, by John, but wasn’t it always John who held him?

Thomas furrowed his eyebrows and tried to get Alexander to let go, but no luck. He sighed and laid down with him, letting Alexander move as he pleased. 

The way Alexander curled up against his chest was kind of.. Cute. 

Wait, wait, time out. Alexander? Hamilton? Cute?! 

Thomas shook his head. No, he didn’t think Alexander was cute at all. He certainly didn’t hate the little cretin, but he didn’t like him, did he? 

His thoughts were interrupted by John climbing into bed with them, cuddling against Thomas’s back. 

Thomas wanted to turn and hold him, to hold his John, but something in him just... Refused to let go of Alexander... As if letting him go now would mean never holding him again... But what did Thomas care about holding him? 

He shut his eyes and just tried to go to sleep, figuring he could figure this out another day. 

And it technically was another day when he woke up. One in the morning, to be specific. He rolled over. Alexander finally let go and Thomas smiled at the sight. Alexander was so peaceful in his sleep... 

Oh, god there were definitely feelings there... He could deal with them later. 

For now, he finally realized, John was nowhere to be found. 

Thomas furrowed his eyebrows and got up, searching the apartment. No John in the second room nor the bathroom. No John in the living room nor the kitchen nor on the back porch. He grabbed his phone to call him, but... Of course it was dead. He groaned and went back to the bedroom, shaking Alexander awake. 


End file.
